You have probably noticed more construction going on at Palmer Park in the past few weeks. As part of planned City of Detroit park improvements, right now a brand new picnic shelter/pavilion is being built on the west side of Lake Frances.  Given the amount of questions we get about reserving the shelter next to the Splash Park every year, this beautiful new pavilion will surely be a popular place for families to gather with beautiful views of the Lake, the Log Cabin and the rest of the busy areas of the west stretch of the park. 

More projects in progress and planned to begin in the future:

• Volleyball Court to be rebuilt
• Baseball Diamond to be rebuilt in a new location when funds allow
• Power being pulled for more much needed lighting in the park
• Removal of the roadway that cuts through the middle of the park property near the cabin
• Removal of trees in a bad state and and effort to save the bigger healthier trees growing throughout the park
• Revitalization of Lake Frances (with National Fish & Wildlife Foundation grant funding). Begins Spring 2021

Join us for free, safe, and fun outdoor activities
(NOT JUST BASKETBALL!) in 5 city parks this summer! 
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The Pistons Neighbors Program is in Pingree, Clark, Jayne, Palmer, and Adams Butzel Parks from 7/29 through 9/23. Programs occur Wednesday-Sunday from 2-7pm. 

For the full schedule and to provide feedback, please visit www.pistons.com/neighbors or text "pistons" to 31996 to take the community survey. 

Check out the events this week. See you at the parks!

THIS WEEK'S ACTIVITIES AT PALMER PARK:

WEDNESDAY 9/2

Games Cart - 2:00-7:00pm - Free, drop-in games, sports and fitness equipment.

YMCA SportPort Team - 3:00-4:00pm 

Detroit Pistons Basketball Clinic - 4:00-5:00pm 

Mint Art - 4:30-5:30pm - Youth teaching artists with the Mint Artists Guild lead guided art activities for kids (20 people max) . 

THURSDAY 9/3

Games Cart - 2:00-7:00pm - Free, drop-in games, sports and fitness equipment.

Live Music - 3:00-5:00pm- The Kenji Lee Band

FRIDAY 9/4

Games Cart - 2:00-7:00pm - Free, drop-in games, sports and fitness equipment.

SATURDAY 9/5

Games Cart - 2:00-7:00pm - Free, drop-in games, sports and fitness equipment.

SUNDAY 9/6
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Yoganic Flow - 11:00am-12:00pm - Rest and relax at a beginner-level yoga flow class. Bring your own mat. 

Games Cart - 2:00-7:00pm - Free, drop-in games, sports and fitness equipment.

ArtLab J K-Pop Dance Class- 3:00-3:45pm 

EVERY DAY 9/2-9/23
Step To Greater Health Virtual Walking Club - Using the Map My Fitness app, track your walks for 21 days and make it challenging and fun with friends.

Visit our Walking page for full instructions:

Visit Palmer Park Farmers Market on Facebook and Instagram.In partnership with Eastern Market, Detroit Community Markets and the City of Detroit Parks & Recreation Department, join us each Wednesday at this lovely local market for farm fresh fruits and vegetables, grass-fed meat, cooking demos with Chef Mike, desserts and baked goods and bath/body/personal care items.

Join us for free, safe, and fun outdoor activities
(NOT JUST BASKETBALL!) in 5 city parks this summer! 
​
The Pistons Neighbors Program is in Pingree, Clark, Jayne, Palmer, and Adams Butzel Parks from 7/29 through 9/23. Programs occur Wednesday-Sunday from 2-7pm. 

For the full schedule and to provide feedback, please visit www.pistons.com/neighbors or text "pistons" to 31996 to take the community survey. 

Check out the events this week. See you at the parks!

THIS WEEK'S ACTIVITIES AT PALMER PARK:

WEDNESDAY 8/26

Games Cart - 2:00-7:00pm - Free, drop-in games, sports and fitness equipment.

YMCA SportPort Team - 3:00-4:00pm 

Detroit Pistons Basketball Clinic - 4:00-5:00pm 

Mint Art - 4:30-5:30pm - Youth teaching artists with the Mint Artists Guild lead guided art activities for kids (20 people max) . 

As one of seven projects selected to receive grant funding to benefit communities and wildlife habitats in southeast Michigan by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, People for Palmer Park and the City of Detroit will be working to make Lake Frances and Witherell Woods more healthy, usable, and beautiful. 
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These investments will strengthen regional resilience by installing green infrastructure, and reduce the threat of flooding and other intensifying environmental stressors. Additionally, projects will restore critical habitat for wildlife and create or enhance public access to and use of natural areas and parks across four counties. (1)

Over the next two years, we will clean up the Lake, replace invasive species with native plants, and improve walking and biking paths on the South end of the park.  We look forward to sharing more updates and getting your input throughout the project, but here's a preview of what you can expect to see happening in and around the lake. (2)

As part of a collaboration with Eastern Market and the City of Detroit, we are proud to be a part of the new Palmer Park Farmers Market which will be open every Wednesday, 4:30-7:30pm beginning July 8th through September 30th.

The Market will take place at the SW corner of 7 Mile and Woodward, at the Detroit Exploration & Nature Center. The Palmer Park Farmers Market is a member of the Detroit Community Markets and aims to make essential things accessible to the community while supporting our local growers & entrepreneurs.

Know that the market will be enforcing some very practical social distance policies to keep everyone safe.

Confirmed vendors for first market include:

• Deeply Rooted Produce
• Judella's Sweets and Treats
• McElroy Farms
• Extravagant Organics
• Detroit Garden Girl
• Pastry Luv
• Eastern Market
• CiCi's Seamoss

WE NEED VOLUNTEERS
To sign up: https://forms.gle/uHdfdQhzmjT2A7qC6

For more information and to follow the Market updates throughout the summer:

Facebook + Instagram: @PalmerParkFarmersMarket
Email: PalmerParkFarmersMarket@gmail.com

Powered by Eastern Market, Detroit Community Markets, City of Detroit Parks & Recreation Department and People for Palmer Park.

Unlike last year's inaugural event at the Detroit Golf Club, this year's Rocket Mortgage Classic is not open to the general public due to COVID-19 restrictions. But there are still some road closures affecting Palmer Park the week of June 29-July 5, 2020. 

The Rocket Giving Fund's mission is to host a world-class PGA TOUR event while simultaneously benefiting the Detroit community. The Organization's primary fundraising activity is the Rocket Mortgage Classic, Detroit's annual PGA TOUR event. The net proceeds realized by the event and other such activities and events will support its new "Changing the Course" initiative in partnership with Rocket Mortgage, a multi-year campaign with a vision that every Detroit resident has access to the internet, technology and digital literacy training they deserve within five years.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shined a light on a number of unaddressed underlying issues in Detroit - internet accessibility being one of the most severe. The mission of "Changing the Course" is a Detroit where every resident has access to the technology, internet and digital literacy that is the baseline for education and opportunity in today's economy, and the initiative will invest funds in organizations and infrastructure that seek to ensure SG internet technology becomes available across Detroit. 

Read more about Changing the Course at https://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/rocket-mortgage-classic/changingthecourse.html
 

This past week marked the first day of spring 2020! In Palmer Park, we can begin to see the greenery brighten, flowers and plants sprouting from the ground, leaves on trees – our park is greeting the warm weather and sunshine. This week, also marked an unprecedented experience for almost all of as we were encouraged to self-quarantine, keep our social distancing and avoid groups or social gatherings. At this point in time, parks and green spaces can provide a necessary solace to help us all cope with this emerging situation.  

The City of Detroit has mandated that all recreation and community centers be closed, so the Palmer Park Community House will not be open for any meetings or events. Given this is our slower season of activities and events in the park, our main community cancellation is indoor yoga with Yoganic Flow, which has been consistently offered on Saturday mornings in the Palmer Park Community House. Until further notice, yoga is canceled. Note that Yoganic Flow is offering online classes: youtube.com/user/YoganicFlow  for free online Yoganic Flow classes;  yoganicflow.com/online-yoga-classes  for personalized classes.

We have also decided to postpone our planned Annual Meeting, which was to be held on April 18th. I am using the word postponed intentionally as we sincerely hope to host the meeting in the near future as soon as rescheduling is safe. We have much to share about news of upcoming spring and summer events. Stay tuned for announcements of future events. 

Also, sadly, recent evidence suggests that COVID-19 virus can live for several days on surfaces such as playgrounds or other “high touch”  areas in public spaces. For this reason, we discourage use of the playgrounds in Palmer Park. As all of you, we are following the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and other health authorities, regarding the COVID-19 outbreak, which includes following a 6-ft separation guideline, even when outdoors, to help prevent community spread. We have all been inundated with what not to do. However, one of the positive guidelines is to urge all of us to get outside, enjoy fresh air, exercise your body and clear your mind. My husband, dog and I have been taking daily walks in the park along the miles of trails – we have greeted friends and neighbors along the way and have been grateful for our beautiful neighborhood park. And recently a Detroit firefighter asked if they could do their weekly workouts in Palmer Park, and we have encouraged them to do so. 

What better place to get outside, enjoy fresh air and get some exercise than Palmer Park !

Rochelle E. Lento
People for Palmer Park 
Board President