Clark Park Coalition

CLARK PARK COALITION EXISTS TO PROVIDE AN ARRAY OF DIVERSE, HIGH-QUALITY RECREATIONAL, EDUCATIONAL, SOCIAL AND MENTORING PROGRAMS FOR SOUTHWEST DETROIT FAMILIES PROMOTING SKILLS DEVELOPMENT WHICH HELPS OUR YOUTH GROW INTO RESPONSIBLE, SELF-CONFIDENT ADULTS. CLARK PARK COALITION IS A PARTNER OF THE DETROIT RECREATIONAL DEPARTMENT.

2021 WAS THE YEAR THAT CLARK PARK SLOWLY BEGAN TO EMERGE FROM THE PANDEMIC. ALTHOUGH OUR ICE RINK REMAINED CLOSED FOR THE WINTER, WE DID FINALLY OPEN OUR DOORS, FOLLOWING COVID PROTOCOLS, IN THE SPRING, SUMMER, AND FALL OF 2021. ALTHOUGH IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO HOLD A WINTER 2021 HOCKEY SEASON, WE ACTIVELY PROMOTED THE WINTER 2022 REOPENING OF THE ICE RINK BY HOLDING A SPECIAL REGISTRATION EVENT AT THE PARK TO OUTFIT YOUTH WITH HOCKEY EQUIPMENT AND CLOTHING FOR THE UPCOMING WINTER SEASON SCHEDULED TO BEGIN IN JANUARY 2022. POSTCARDS WERE CREATED, PRINTED, AND MAILED TO THREE ZIP CODES NEAREST TO THE PARK, AND THEY SUCCESSFULLY BROUGHT IN ADDITIONAL YOUTH WHO HAD NOT PREVIOUSLY PARTICIPATED IN THE SKATING PROGRAM. SPRING, SUMMER, AND FALL PROGRAMMING WAS HELD OUTDOORS AND INCLUDED BASEBALL, SOFTBALL, AND LACROSSE TO HUNDREDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WERE GRATEFUL TO GET BACK TO A SOMEWHAT NORMAL LIFE AS THE PANDEMIC BECAME MORE MANAGEABLE. UNFORTUNATELY, OUR COLLABORATION WITH DETROIT PAL WAS CANCELLED UNTIL A LATER DATE WHEN THE PANDEMIC IS UNDER CONTROL. SPECIAL HIGHLIGHTS: -THIS PAST SUMMER, THE GIRLS' SOFTBALL PROGRAM HAD THEIR ANNUAL MOMS AND DAUGHTERS GAME. THE EVENT PROVED TO BE SO POPULAR THAT THE FATHERS WANTED TO JOIN IN ON THE FUN, SO WE ADDED A DADS AND DAUGHTERS GAME, AS WELL. IT WAS SO POPULAR THAT WE PLANNED TO CONTINUE BOTH OF THESE SPECIAL EVENTS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. -AS MENTIONED, THIS PAST NOVEMBER WE HAD A SPECIAL HOCKEY REGISTRATION EVENT THAT WAS VERY WELL ATTENDED AND GAVE US THE NEEDED JUMP START TO RESUME THE HOCKEY AND LEARN-TO-SKATE PROGRAMMING WHICH HAD BEEN SHUTTERED. -ALTHOUGH WE WERE NOT ABLE TO HOST THE WINTER CARNIVAL IN 2021, WE DID HOST THE ANNUAL HOCKEY CLASSIC WITH ML ELRICK AND THE MEN PLAYING TO RAISE MONEY FOR THE PARK. THE WOMEN'S TEAMS PLAYED AT WELL AND BOTH GAMES WERE HOSTED AT THE EASTSIDE SPORTS ARENA ON DETROIT'S EAST SIDE. -IN JULY OF 2021, THE DETROIT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA HOSTED A CULTURAL ARTS FESTIVAL WHICH INCLUDED PARTICIPATION FROM NUMEROUS ARTS ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING MATRIX THEATRE, LIVING ARTS, AND COMPAS, AS WELL AS A STRING QUARTET MADE UP OF DSO MUSICIANS FOR A LIVELY AFTERNOON OF MUSIC, DANCE AND ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE CAME OUT TO SUPPORT THE PERFORMERS AND ENJOY THE DAY. -WE PARTICIPATED IN THE GROWING DETROIT'S YOUNG TALENT (GDYT) PROGRAMMING AND PROVIDED VIRTUAL TRAINING AND ACTIVITIES FOR NEARLY 30 NEIGHBORHOOD YOUTH. THEY WERE PAID FOR THEIR TIME. -THE HISPANIC ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN THE AUTOMOTIVE SUPPLIERS CONDUCTED THEIR COPA SOCCER TOURNAMENT TO RAISE FUNDS FOR CLARK PARK, BUT ONLY THE SOCCER GAMES TOOK PLACE. THERE WAS NO ENTERTAINMENT AND ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES, LIKE IN PREVIOUS YEARS, DUE TO COVID. -IN OUR EFFORTS TO WORK WITH THE CITY, WE BECAME A COVID VACCINE SITE, AS WELL AS AN EARLY VOTING SITE DURING THE PANDEMIC. ALTHOUGH THE PANDEMIC PREVENTED CLARK PARK STAFF FROM PROVIDING A FULL SEASON OF PROGRAMMING FOR THE COMMUNITY, THEY WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME ACTIVITIES FOLLOWING COVID PROTOCOL. WE ALSO TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO USE THE FREE TIME FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING. AND, OUR OUTDOOR SPECIAL ACTIVITIES WERE WELL RECEIVED BY THE NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS. WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE TIME, HOPEFULLY IN 2022, THAT WE CAN PROVIDE FULLY SCHEDULED ACTIVITIES FOR OUR YOUTH ONCE AGAIN.