Sneak peek: New $80M Detroit riverfront park opens Oct. 25
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The Delta Dental Play Garden at Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park. Photos: Annalise Frank/Axios
The architects of Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park crafted its entrance and topography to ensure a perfect line of sight across a new water garden to the Detroit River and the Ambassador and Gordie Howe bridges.
Why it matters: The $80 million west riverfront park is set to open Oct. 25, billed by its creators as a new crown jewel of the city benefiting future generations.
What they're saying: "This is going to be the most iconic park in the United States," Detroit Riverfront Conservancy board chair Matt Cullen told reporters during a Wednesday tour.
- He said its offerings for kids, teenagers, grandparents and adults make good on the conservancy's motto, "bring everybody."
State of play: The 22-acre park has been in the works and hyped since 2017, with many layers of community engagement built into its conception. Now the public will be able to see the results of that work and judge the final product for themselves.
The vibe: The area west of downtown has gone from flat to hilly. There's now thick grass, over 900 trees, weaving paths and a mural by local artist Sydney James.
The park has four key spaces:
🛝 Delta Dental Play Garden: Children's playground with animal structures imported from Denmark — including the famous 20-foot bear slide and a 26-foot otter. Plus, an interactive water play area.
🌅 Huron-Clinton Metroparks Water Garden: The metropark system's first Detroit location, with river water pumped into a pond-like area for nature-based educational programming — and views.
🎶 DTE Foundation Summit: A grassy area with a small peak for views, as well as picnics, concerts and outdoor movie nights.
⛹️ William Davidson Sport House: A giant covered pavilion with two full-size basketball courts using a $1 million donation from the Pistons and owner Tom Gores. It can be used year-round.
Context: The fall opening keeps with the conservancy's pledge made last year to finish the park without added delays, as the nonprofit grappled with fallout from its former CFO stealing more than $40 million from the organization.
