DEARBORN – Mayor Abdullah H. Hammoud led Dearborn area elected officials and business leaders on Tuesday, Aug. 22, to break ground at the site of the first of three state-of-the-art pocket parks constructed under the Park Equity and Access for Civil Engagement (PEACE) Project. The downtown West Dearborn PEACE Park is the first of three pocket parks that will be constructed using competitive and formula grants awarded to the city, totaling more than $32 million.

“There’s no single issue that green spaces cannot resolve, whether it’s flooding and green infrastructure or creating communal spaces,” Mayor Hammoud said in a press release. “Green spaces provide room to come together, to have an exchange of culture, create micro economies that will allow entrepreneurs to flourish and to be a catalyst for the future movement in the city.”

The construction and first five years of maintenance of all three PEACE Parks will be paid for using combined grant awards, including funds provided by Wayne County. 

“A lesson we learned during COVID was that there weren’t enough park spaces,” said Deputy Wayne County Executive Assad Turfe, who participated in the groundbreaking. “[The PEACE Parks present] the opportunity not just to create a space for residents and community members to gather, but to enjoy doing so outdoors.”

Photos Courtesy of Dearborn Department of Communications

In addition to turning underutilized gray spaces into green spaces, this investment will include the installation of sustainable landscaping features, including rain gardens and permeable surface at all three PEACE Parks to be built in east, south and west Dearborn. The parks will also serve as an economic engine for local businesses, with the inclusion of a permanent farmers market pavilion and market pop-up spaces for vendor rentals. 

“Investments in our parks are investments in our city’s future,” Hammoud said. “Making green spaces accessible for our community allows us to offer an enhanced quality of life for residents, while attracting new families and businesses. These investments create vibrant communities, drive tourism and energize growth in the economy.”

Construction of the first PEACE Park, which will be led by the project contractor, Imagine Design and Build, is expected to continue through the end of this year. Updates on the project will be provided at CityofDearborn.org and on the city’s social media platforms @DearbornGov.