$14M indoor sports center coming to Detroit's east side in 2025
DETROIT (FOX 2) - In 2025, Detroit residents will be enjoying a brand-new indoor athletic center – finally giving the community a recreational space to enjoy even during the cold winter months.
"Today is the day that the children of Detroit get the kind of facility that suburban kids have had for a long time," said Mayor Mike Duggan during Monday's groundbreaking of the $14 million Chandler Park Fieldhouse.
The sports dome, funded by President Joe Biden's American Rescue Plan Act, is the first of its kind for Detroit. It will be located in Chandler Park on the city's east side.
"I watched over the years as multi-sports domes opened in Western Wayne and other parts of Oakland and Macomb, and I thought ‘When are the children of Detroit going to get that kind of facility?’" Duggan said.
Now they are getting one.
The 130,000 square-foot facility will feature a multi-use court for basketball, volleyball, and pickleball. A football field and track will also be available for various sports.
The Chandler Park Fieldhouse will also boast multi-purpose rooms, shower rooms, inclusive bathrooms, and more.
"There’s so many of our seniors that have said, ‘We need a place to walk indoors, we need somewhere to run,’" said District 4 Councilmember Latisha Johnson during the groundbreaking.
Johnson said she believes all Detroit residents will benefit from the Chandler Park Fieldhouse.
"It is also a step towards filling the lack of recreational facilities in District 4, where our residents will soon enjoy year-round access to a fantastic venue to view and participate in various sports and recreational activities," Johnson said.
As fun as the athletic center will be, organizers and others talked about the deeper impact of sports.
"Sports saves lives," said Pastor Donald Phillips.
Phillips emphasized that playing sports kept him and his brothers off the streets when they were growing up. It also taught them about loving their community and hard work, which he hopes the youth will learn once the Chandler Park Fieldhouse opens.
"In the times like right now, when nobody’s really thinking about sports other than the Lions, they’re going to say ‘Let’s go up to the Chandler Park dome,'" Duggan said. "Where the activities are."