People, Places and Parks
By: Eric B. Larson
What does it take to create and sustain a vibrant Downtown filled with thriving businesses, parks and people? For starters, it takes consistency; coupled with the collective efforts of community, corporate, and civic leaders.
While there’s always room for growth, we must remember to stop and smell the roses and celebrate our collective successes. A great example is Campus Martius Park being voted the #1 Public Square in the country by USA Today readers for the second year in a row.
On Thursday, August 15, 2024, we will gather to celebrate this momentous win while benefiting a worthy cause. The Downtown Detroit Partnership (DDP) will host its 2nd Annual Party in the Park from 6:30-9:00 p.m. in the award-winning Campus Martius Park. Proceeds from this event will support Campus Martius Park, plus all additional downtown Detroit parks and public spaces managed by the DDP.
The DDP is a member-based non-profit committed to growing and sustaining an ever-evolving urban core in Detroit. While we improve, steward and program the Downtown parks and public spaces, our work is made possible through continual funding via grants, members, sponsors and events.
Funding helps the DDP produce more than 1,200 free programs and events, which has millions of unique individual interactions in the Downtown parks and public spaces each year. These include the Downtown Street Eats in Cadillac Square, Summer Beach Parties at Campus Martius Park, fitness classes at Capital Park, Detroit Tigers Opening Day Party in Grand Circus Park and of course, the hometown favorite, Detroit Tree Lighting, and many more.
The parks that we all enjoy require ongoing maintenance and upgrades to ensure a clean, safe, and welcoming environment for all to enjoy. The result is a thriving Downtown community for the people of today and the next generations. The Party in the Park helps to ensure we can continue these efforts.
Most importantly, proceeds raised from this event have a multiplier effect. Each dollar made at Party in the Park allows the DDP to pursue additional matching grant opportunities that can result in more year-round, free programming.
When Downtowns are vibrant and economically strong, much of its success spreads throughout the neighborhoods, region, and state. We are beginning to witness evidence of this, as the investment grows beyond Downtown into Corktown’s new Michigan Central Station, and New Center’s Henry Ford Health developments.
Other growing neighborhoods include Southwest Detroit, East Village, North End and many more neighborhoods throughout the city experience significant growth.
We have more ground to cover, and more room for growth but the Downtown Detroit Partnership recognizes that growth happens when “We Make It Happen Together.”
Please help us shape the future and honor our past!
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