Corktown Connection - Palmer Park Update

Details: Last Updated: 08 December 2021

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In the words of Senator Thomas Palmer who donated the land to the City of Detroit for Palmer Park, this will be “a park for the good of all”. In our minds, this indicated that Palmer Park is a park for all regardless of race, creed, color or religion. As an organization, People for Palmer Park strives to serve the entire community in a sincere, strong and positive manner and to provide a safe, recreational space for all people. It is of great importance for us to listen to each other and assure that Palmer Park provides a beautiful green space for all to enjoy!

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

Photo: Barbara Barefield

While 2021 has been a challenging year on the heels of the Covid-19 virus, the importance and viability of Palmer Park has provided a green space for a healthy and vibrant community.

Through careful programming, we offered safe recreational activities including youth basketball, biking, tai chi, a walking group, tennis, and yoga on a weekly basis. Our Palmer Park Tennis Academy has continued to grow involving 150 students this year and introduced a Junior Excellence Program.

Our Community Garden blossomed with the involvement of 20 community gardeners who rented garden beds. Through a partnership with Eastern Market and the City of Detroit, we hosted the Palmer Park Farmers Market for the second year attracting local vendors and neighbors weekly—both efforts promoting healthy living and eating.

One of the most exciting projects was the total renovation of the Lighthouse in Lake Frances made possible by a private donation, which beams a bright rotating light as a beacon in the park.

We have continued to work with the City on a grant from the National Fish + Wildlife Foundation, which will spearhead an ecological makeover of Lake Frances and Witherell Woods. Thus far, we have started a campaign to discourage feeding the geese in the lake as a first step.

Events that are so cherished by the local community returned this past year. In June we hosted the Palmer Park Art Fair, in late June, we held Log Cabin Day, and most recently, we hosted Harvest Festival in October on a perfect fall Michigan day.

The Palmer Park Log Cabin continues to undergo renovation with electricity being finally connected lighting being installed; the original wood pocket doors have been restored and we have future plans to refinish and repair the original wood staircase.

The future holds much excitement too. The City with demonstrated community support will be rebuilding the iconic State Fair Bandshell in Palmer Park, in an area south of the 12th Precinct. It is our goal to see plays, movies and live musical entertainment geared to family audiences performed in the bandshell.

We are also grateful for the volunteerism that has emerged and continues to support our efforts. Beginning with a dedicated group of volunteer board members, who give tireless hours. Our board committees, including the continued support of many community volunteers helping at clean-ups, events and more.

Thank you for your past, present and future support!

Very Truly Yours,

Rochelle Lento President

TIME TO RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP!

End of year is a great time to renew your membership to People for Palmer Park.

Since our 501(c)(3) organization began a decade ago, our vision has been to create an urban oasis, regional destination and daily recreation site that will promote an active and healthy community. With your continued support, you are helping us in our mission to preserve park resources and its history, create a safe park environment for all, give equal benefit and access to the park and continue our partnership with the City of Detroit. We're proud of what we've done so far and we have lots of fun planned for when this pandemic is past us. We hope you'll be right there to help us succeed!

Become a member

EXCITING PALMER PARK UPDATES

Palmer Park Disc Golf Course Ready for Play

In 2020, members of the disc golf community expressed spirited interest in creating an 18 hole course at the south end of Palmer Park where the former back nine of the public course was once located.

We are excited to announce that after many months of planning, fundraising by the disc golf supporters, course adjustments with the City due to the future placement of the historic State Fairgrounds' bandshell and many volunteer hours to install the baskets and prepare the area, the Palmer Park Disc Golf Course is now officially in place.

Meet our new Board

Executive Assistant

Nikolette Barnes is a Detroit native with a passion for food, youth, sustainable living and nutrition education.

She has worked for the Eastern Market Corporation, Detroit Public School's Office of School Nutrition, Greening of Detroit's Urban Agriculture Department, as well as the Detroit Food Policy Council. In addition to her local community involvement, she currently studies Early Childhood Education as well as serving on the Mutual Aide Resource Council for National Black Food and Justice Alliance. Her most important work is raising her 11 year old indigo child who is ecstatic about cooking, farming and singing!

Nikolette can be reached at

nikolette@peopleforpalmerpark.org

FINAL 2 INDOOR YOGA SESSIONS OF YEAR

Keep healthy this season with Saturday yoga classes at the Palmer Park Community Center led by Yoganic Flow instructors, thru Dec. 18

People for Palmer Park and Yoganic Flow invite you to practice yoga safely indoors each Saturday morning from

10-11am at the Palmer Park Community House.

PALMER PARK HABITAT

RESTORATION PROJECT

Photo: Farhat Chaudhry (City of Detroit)

GET INVOLVED AND HAVE FUN LEARNING!

Planning, design, permitting & community engagement are happening NOW!

People for Palmer Park continues to keep you updated on our website as each zone goes through its transformation throughout the project...

The Greening of Detroit has partnered with the USFS to test and research the viability of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) resistant Ash Trees. Seeds of Ash trees known to have a high level of resistance to EAB have been germinated and raised into seedlings.

Greening of Detroit has acquired 100 of these seedlings, and are planting them in several City of Detroit parks to test their ability to thrive in various settings.

Palmer Park is one of the parks where these trees were planted. Twenty EAB-resistant seedlings were planted, and twenty non-resistant seedlings of the same age were also planted. Wire cages were placed over the trees to keep them from being eaten by deer or other animals.