Mayor Duggan and community celebrate $2 million transformation of 78-acre O’Hair Park
Mayor Duggan and community celebrate $2 million transformation of 78-acre O’Hair Park
- Nearly 80-acre park in dense residential area transformed from largely open land into multi-use park with new sports fields, shelters, walking path and other amenities
- Project has been years in the making with extensive community input
- O’Hair is largest of more than 150 neighborhood parks city has renovated since 2014
DETROIT – One of Detroit’s largest neighborhood-based parks has been completely renovated thanks to a $2 million investment by the City that was driven by several years of community input and engagement. Residents in the O’Hair Park community are rejoicing after a multi-year plan took their 78-acre neighborhood park from desolate to developed, with an array of sports fields and courts, new shelters and equipment, as well as new site amenities.
The park, which was largely underutilized open land, now boasts the following amenities for residents in the surrounding community to take advantage of:
- 8 soccer fields
- 2 softball fields
- 2 Detroit Pistons basketball courts
- 1 baseball field
- 1 Mile Walking Path
- 2 Picnic Shelters
- Fitness Equipment
- 40-car parking lot
- New Comfort station
- Playground enhancement
- Other site Amenities such as Benches, Picnic Tables, Bike Racks
Today, Mayor Mike Duggan and Councilmember James Tate joined with neighborhood residents to celebrate the completion of the project.
“Over the past eight years, we’ve completely remade more than 150 neighborhood parks and of them, O’Hair has been the largest and most ambitious,” said Mayor Mike Duggan. “What had been largely a dead spot in the middle of this neighborhood is now community anchor for children and their families to enjoy recreation and fitness within safe walking distance from home.”
Efforts to transform the park began in 2015 with extensive community engagement that included dozens of meeting with city staff to develop a master plan for O’Hair. The newly renovated space based on that plan is intended to offer opportunities to increase physical health and mental well-being and for recreation and play. Residents say the park will greatly enhance their quality of life.
“This community has waited a long time to see our park return to its former glory,” said Gail Tubbs, president, O’Hair Park Community Association. “As I gaze across this awesome and impressive park. I am hopeful that this transformation will renew and reinvigorate our neighborhood.”
Councilmember Tate welcomed the investment in recreation in District 1 and recognized city staff for soliciting feedback from residents throughout the process.
“I'm very pleased to see the transformation of O'Hair Park. The residents in close proximity to O'Hair had been asking for renovations to be made, and it's important to listen to community concerns, said James Tate, District 1 City Councilman. “Based on feedback, the City of Detroit made the necessary changes and O'Hair's constituents can now celebrate this beautiful park with their children, each other, and the entire city. The grand transformation of this park, along with a plethora of others, is a step in the right direction of re-beautification of our neighborhoods.”
In 1947, Joseph and Helen Holtzman donated 78 acres, later named in honor of Mrs. Willis Watts O’Hair, a founder of the Detroit Recreation Commission at the beginning of the 20th century. Pitcher Woods, 20 acres inside the park, was named for Dr. Zina Pitcher, who was mayor of Detroit from 1840-1844. Today, Mayor Duggan helped to rededicate O’Hair Park to the community.
Community engagement drove the entire process to develop the master plan for O’Hair Park. Residents were a key part in helping shape what has become the new O’Hair Park, said Brad Dick, who serves as Group Executive for Services and Infrastructure for the city of Detroit.
“O’Hair Park is now again the community gem it once was, and neighbors who live near the park had a real voice in helping to shape our plan,” said Dick. “Mayor Duggan’s commitment to neighborhood parks has allowed us to transform this once dumping ground into a beautiful public space.”
