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City and
Community
partner
to keep
more
than 200
Detroit
parks
maintained
this
summer
• City
commits
to
maintaining
150
parks
• 65
parks so
far
adopted
by
community
groups &
businesses
DETROIT,
MI -
Joined
by
representatives
of
dozens
of
churches,
community
organizations
and
local
businesses,
Detroit
Mayor
Mike
Duggan
announced
today a
new
partnership
that
will
result
in a
dramatic
increase
in the
number
of city
parks
that
will be
fully
maintained
throughout
the
year.
Of the
city’s
more
than 300
parks,
only
about 25
across
the city
were
regularly
maintained
last
season.
This
year,
Duggan
said the
city is
committing
to
maintain
150
parks
and has
doubled
its
number
of
seasonal
workers
from 75
to more
than 150
to do
just
that.
However,
the real
difference,
Mayor
Duggan
said, is
the
number
of
community
organizations
that
have
volunteered
to adopt
city
parks –
and
maintain
them at
a level
equal to
city
crews.
The
Mayor
said
that he
has
commitments
from 65
community
organizations
and
businesses,
which
will
maintain
a city
park
this
year,
bringing
to 215
the
number
of parks
that
Detroiters
can
count on
being
groomed
throughout
the
summer.
“If
people
want to
see how
real the
change
is in
the city
of
Detroit,
this
partnership
is the
perfect
example,”
Mayor
Duggan
said.
“These
community
volunteer
groups
have
stepped
up in a
huge way
to help
the city
give
Detroiters
back
their
neighborhood
parks
this
year.”
Among
those
who have
adopted
a park
this
year is
Greater
Mitchell
Temple
COGIC on
Curtis
near
Schaefer.
The
church
sits
next to
Diack
Park –
one of
the
parks
the city
abandoned
last
year.
Bishop
John
Henry
Sheard,
jumped
at the
idea of
adopting
Diack
Park
when the
Mayor’s
staff
approached
him
earlier
this
year.
“The
Mayor
understands
how
important
neighborhood
parks
are to
making
our city
a place
where
people
want to
live,”
Bishop
Sheard
said.
“It
improves
quality
of life.
It
improves
property
values,
and it
improves
public
safety.
Because
of the
Mayor’s
commitment
to
recreation,
families
across
our city
will be
able to
know
their
children
will
have a
safe,
convenient
place to
play
this
summer.”
How
it works
Organizations
that
adopt
parks
agree to
mow and
weed
their
park
every
10-14
days
from May
1st
until
October
31st.
They
also
agree to
keep the
park
free of
trash
during
that
time
frame.
In
exchange,
the City
will
install
a sign
at each
park
with the
name of
the
organization
or
business
that has
adopted
it.
Volunteer
organizations
also
will get
first
option
for use
of the
park
they
have
adopted
for any
events
it
wishes
to host
there.
They
also
will
produce
a weekly
report
card
that
will be
shared
among
each of
the
participating
groups
to
create a
culture
of
mutual
support
and
accountability.
In
addition
to
grading
the
condition
of the
park,
the
report
card
also
will
highlight
examples
where
the
group
adopting
the park
has gone
above
and
beyond
to
improve
the
appearance
of the
park.
The City
also
will
support
the
volunteers
by
picking
up bags
of
debris
and
assisting
organizations
that
want to
enhance
the park
by
adding
play
equipment,
picnic
tables,
basketball
courts,
walking
paths,
etc.
Accountability
Mayor
Duggan
said the
key to
the
program
working
will be
accountability.
Although
the
community
groups
have
taken
responsibility
for the
maintenance
of their
park,
the
city’s
General
Services
and
Parks &
Recreation
departments
will
administer
the
program
and
conduct
routine
inspections.
They
also
will
generate
a weekly
report
card
that
will be
shared
among
the
participants.
In
addition,
each
adopting
organization
has to
sign an
agreement,
committing
to the
high
level of
maintenance
at the
park.
Mayor
Duggan
said
there
are a 21
parks
that are
suitable
and
eligible
for
adoption,
which
are
listed
on the
city’s
website
at
www.detroitmi.gov.
For
further
information
on the
Adopt-A-Park
Program,
please
call
(313)
224-1258.
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