City of Jackson receives grant to improve playground area at MLK Center

The park outside Jackson's Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center is getting a big upgrade thanks to a special grant. The City of Jackson was recently awarded $663,600 from the Council of Michigan Foundations (CMF)/Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Spark Grant Program partnership. The funding will be used to add more playground equipment outside the recreation center and construct a new pavilion.

Located on Jackson's south side, the MLK Recreation Center is a popular gathering place for the community. The park outside the center, the Howard Woods Recreation Complex, features a basketball court, ball fields, community garden, playground and pavilion. Grant funds will be used to expand the current playground and fully replace the existing pavilion. The new playground equipment will be accessible to people with disabilities and contain adult exercise equipment.

"We are excited to receive this funding and use it to realize our community's vision to enhance our community recreational experience," said Parks and Recreation Director Kelli Hoover. "I am grateful for everyone's ideas, input and effort that got us to this point, and I am confident that these developments will pay huge dividends for our community for generations to come."

The City of Jackson is one of 39 Michigan communities to receive a total of $24.2 million in grants from CMF/DNR Spark Grant Program. Using American Rescue Plan Act funds to power the program,organizers say the initiative was established to provide expanded access to recreation facilities for historically under-resourced communities. Resident engagement was a big part of the grant process, with the City of Jackson and Jackson Community Foundation holding a neighborhood meeting on the proposed project last fall to understand resident needs.

"We are grateful for the efforts of the City of Jackson and the leadership of the Jackson Community Foundation in centering resident voices in this project that will create healthy recreational opportunities for all to enjoy for years to come," said Kyle Caldwell, CMF President and CEO.

The redesigned playground area will also include new walking paths to provide improved access to the City's main pedestrian trail, the MLK Equality Trail. The City of Jackson expects to start construction on the park improvements in fall 2024 or spring 2025.

"It's an honor for the DNR to help dozens of Michigan communities achieve their vision of healthier, more active lifestyles for residents and visitors, especially through a new grantmaking model that ensures a more direct pathway to places where critical dollars are most needed," said DNR Director Scott Bowen.

Map of playground area showing where new features will be placed

Rendering of new playground

Rendering of new pavilionCurrent playground area.

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