We're very pleased to announce that our friends at the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) have awarded Ferndale $226,880 for park sidewalk improvements! This is an incredible step toward accessibility advancements in our park spaces—something that serves as a key connection between the amenities and points of entry. Our parks are a place for all people to play and live, and we're thrilled for this opportunity to offer more accessible spaces to our community.

This funding was made possible by an application to the Transportation Alternatives Program, which, though traditionally used for multimodal roadway improvements, could apply to the pedestrian needs in our parks. The team at SEMCOG fortunately agreed with the City's needs, and the City is now able to provide an accessible trail network. 

The engineering and design phases of the sidewalks are anticipated to happen in 2024, with construction set to begin in 2025. Wilson Park and Martin Road Park will most likely considered first, given the other construction activity occurring in the areas. We'd like to give a big shoutout to our Ferndale Parks & Recreation Department and Public Works Department for their efforts in solidifying this grant funding, and of course, the generous team at SEMCOG for this award.