Parks & Recreation

Detroit Parks & Recreation and the General Services Department are building the Joe Louis Greenway, a planned 29-mile trail loop connecting Detroit, Dearborn, Hamtramck, and Highland Park; as of mid-2026 roughly 8.4 miles are open, 7.1 miles are under construction, and 5.9 miles are funded but not yet started, with full build-out expected in 5-10 years depending on fundraising. The city has also directed $107 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds toward projects including a new Chandler Park Athletic Fieldhouse, Roosevelt Park, and the Helen Moore Recreation Center. Belle Isle Park is city-owned but has been operated as a state park by the Michigan DNR since 2014 under a 30-year lease.

Each completed Greenway segment extends safe walking and biking access between neighborhoods — the city estimates over 40,000 residents will live within a 10-minute walk of the trail once finished. ARPA-funded recreation center and park upgrades directly expand where Detroit families can access athletic facilities and green space today, while Belle Isle's state-park status continues to shape how that regional asset is funded and managed.