Crowdfunding campaign launched for North Corktown Parks Renovation and Solar Installation

$27,000 goal to win matching grant through MEDC’s Public Spaces Community Places initiative

LANSING, Mich. – The neighborhood of North Corktown in Detroit will gain two completed neighborhood parks through a new crowdfunding campaign, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, North Corktown Neighborhood Association (NCNA) and local nonprofit Heritage Works announced today. The campaign is being offered through the Michigan-based crowdfunding platform Patronicity.

If the campaign reaches its crowdfunding goal of $27,000 by March 22, the project will win a matching grant with funds made possible by MEDC’s Public Spaces Community Places program. For project details and to donate, please visit: patronicity.com/northcorktown.

“This project will activate two neighborhood parks, bringing long-awaited plans to completion and providing engaging spaces for residents and visitors to enjoy,” said,” said MEDC Senior Vice President of Community Development Michele Wildman. “We are pleased to bring these spaces to life and provide resources for this effort through our Public Spaces Community Places program.”

This campaign will complete two underused and incomplete neighborhood parks in North Corktown – the North Corktown Commons and Intersections Park. This project will activate the parks by restoring benches, flower beds, walking paths, adding covered shelter, and installing solar for lights and outlets. The NCNA is partnering with local nonprofit Heritage Works to use these spaces for public gatherings and cultural events, while allowing the daily use of the parks by the neighborhood.

“One of our main priorities as a neighborhood association is to create, maintain and activate public green spaces. As a completely volunteer-run organization that is free for residents to participate in, the support from the MEDC is giving us the opportunity to create a higher quality experience for our community than we thought would ever be possible,” said Will McDowell, board member of the North Corktown Neighborhood Association. “This matching grant is also fulfilling one of our dreams of creating a solar-based power system, making our park safer and a real-life symbol of our passion for renewable energy.”

Public Spaces Community Places is a collaborative effort of the MEDC, the Michigan Municipal League, and Patronicity, in which local residents can use crowdfunding to be part of the development of strategic projects in their communities and be backed with a matching grant from MEDC. Communities, nonprofits and other business entities can apply at https://patronicity.com/puremichigan.

“The Michigan Municipal League is a strong believer in taking existing assets and making them better in ways that improve the quality of life for all. This project in North Corktown does exactly that,” said Dan Gilmartin, CEO and Executive Director of the Michigan Municipal League. “With the support of many, we know this completed work will become vibrant gathering places that attract residents and visitors for years to come.”

The Public Spaces Community Places initiative started in 2014 with MEDC providing matched funding of up to $50,000 for community improvement projects throughout Michigan. As of Dec. 31, 2020, MEDC has provided more than $8.1 million in matching grants. Since the launch of the program, 259 projects have been successful in reaching their goal, with $9.4 million raised from 46,311 individual donors.

About Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with the focus on growing Michigan’s economy. For more information on the MEDC and our initiatives, visit www.MichiganBusiness.org. For Pure Michigan® tourism information, your trip begins at www.michigan.org. Join the conversation on: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn, and Twitter.