Contact:
Kathleen Achtenberg, MEDC
517.489.0557
[email protected]
Daniel Washington
ED-NW Goldberg Cares
313.522.6816
[email protected]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 10, 2021
Crowdfunding campaign launched for the Curtis Jones Park in Detroit
$50,000 goal to win matching grant through MEDC’s Public Spaces Community Places initiative
Curtis Jones Park rendering courtesy of David Richards
LANSING, Mich. – The neighborhood of Northwest Goldberg in Detroit will gain a new park and recreation space through a new crowdfunding campaign, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and local nonprofit NW Goldberg Cares announced today. The campaign is being offered through the Michigan-based crowdfunding platform Patronicity.
If the campaign reaches its crowdfunding goal of $50,000 by July 9, the project will win a matching grant with funds made possible by MEDC’s Public Spaces Community Places program. For project details and to donate, please visit: patronicity.com/curtisjones.
“Creating spaces that honor local legacies while making new opportunities for gathering and growth is what this program is all about,” said MEDC Senior Vice President of Community Development Michele Wildman. “We are pleased to support and provide resources for this effort through our Public Spaces Community Places program.”
This campaign will build a signature park honoring local basketball legend Curtis Jones on a 15,000 sq. ft. lot creating a beautiful, safe place for residents to enjoy and be active. A public basketball court has not existed in the neighborhood for almost a decade and is an identified need. The space will also host interactive programming, such as youth sports camps, senior citizen fitness classes, health fairs, interactive sports, and educational programming.
Rendering courtesy of David Richards
The funding from this campaign will be used to complete the park with accessible play equipment, landscaping, green stormwater infrastructure, basketball court lighting, picnic tables, court artwork, and trash receptacles. Once complete, the Curtis Jones Park will serve as a local safe place for sports and the promotion of literacy in intentionally creative ways.
“This is our third time leveraging the PSCP program. Each time we have been able to progressively increase our fundraising goal which has allowed us to increase capacity and accomplish larger placemaking projects,” said Daniel A. Washington, founder and executive director of NW Goldberg Cares. “Simply put, the CURTIS JONES COURT would not be possible if it wasn’t for the PSCP program. We know that for the first time in a decade, NW Goldberg will be home to a basketball court for the entire community to enjoy – regardless of if they play basketball or not.”
Public Spaces Community Places is a collaborative effort of the MEDC, the Michigan Municipal League, and Patronicity, in which local residents can use crowdfunding to be part of the development of strategic projects in their communities and be backed with a matching grant from MEDC. Communities, nonprofits and other business entities can apply at https://patronicity.com/puremichigan.
“The Michigan Municipal League is a firm believer in building community wealth in ways that enhance the human experience for everyone,” said Dan Gilmartin, League’s CEO and Executive Director. “That’s what this new park and recreation space in the Northwest Goldberg neighborhood would do – make a great place even better for all. That is what community wealth building is about.”
The Public Spaces Community Places initiative started in 2014 with MEDC providing matched funding of up to $50,000 for community improvement projects throughout Michigan. As of April 28, 2021, MEDC has provided more than $8.4 million in matching grants. Since the launch of the program, 267 projects have been successful in reaching their goal, with $9.8 million raised from 47,364 individual donors.
About Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)
The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with the focus on growing Michigan’s economy. For more information on the MEDC and our initiatives, visit www.MichiganBusiness.org. For Pure Michigan® tourism information, your trip begins at www.michigan.org. Join the conversation on: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.