New project Merit Park to bring recreation, fitness center to Grand River in Detroit
DETROIT (FOX 2) - A community in Detroit is welcoming a new development that will provide learning and recreational activities for young people. The land is located on Grand River Avenue and once housed dilapidated buildings.
"This is a project that is 7 and a half years in the making," said David Merritt, the co-founder and board chair, Give Merit Foundation.
But despite the nearly decade-long wait, community activists refused to give up.
"We are in a community in Detroit that has been forgotten and neglected," said Merritt. "And we want to send a big message to young people in this neighborhood as a whole - these are the amenities and services that you deserve."
The groundbreaking is a sign of what’s to come now that two blighted buildings have been removed to make room for a $15 million project called Merit Park.
"Taking over a block of land 'in the hood,' and transforming that into a beacon of hope," Merritt said. "To build, what we’re calling a holistic life skills and fitness training center right in the City of Detroit."
The nearly 60,000-square foot development aims to address the need for accessible recreation and play options, in a youth-centered approach.
"It's going to have a gymnasium that will be packed with amazing technology, an obstacle course, splash pad, miniature turf field, and active shipping containers," he said.
The project made possible through partners that include Allied Bank, Kresge Foundation, and many more.
"I’m proud to say that the state of Michigan is a part of this partnership," said Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist. "We have committed more than $1 million in public support through our Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity."
During Friday's ceremony Jared Goff, the quarterback for the Detroit Lions sent a message via video.
"I’m happy to be here in Detroit," he said. "I love the city and I love seeing the community grow in this way, and I give a lot of credit to Merritt as a foundation,"
Community members on hand ready to embrace this new chapter in their neighborhood.
"It’s something that the youth really needs in a way that you can really grow and cultivate themselves in a proper setting," said Mekhi Alexander, who grew up in neighborhood.
"We have over 7,000 young people under the age of 19 in the ZIP Code without much to do," Merritt said. "And so we’re hoping this project meets several needs of the community."
Gensler’s Detroit office is the architecture firm designing Merit Park.
