Mayor joins community partners to celebrate groundbreaking of the new $14M Chandler Park Fieldhouse

• New east-side athletic center funded by President Biden’s American Rescue Plan Act
• Will be first state-of-the-art sports dome in Detroit
• Multi-sport facility expected to open in 2025

Today, Mayor Duggan and Council Member Latisha Johnson joined community partners and residents at Chandler Park, on Detroit's east side, to celebrate the start of construction on the brand new state-of-the-art $14 million ARPA-funded Chandler Park Fieldhouse.

The 130,000 square foot fieldhouse will be the first sports dome in Detroit, located inside Chandler Park, which is the City’s fourth largest park, spanning 200 acres. The new facility will fill the neighborhood's recreation center gap and enhance life for Detroit residents by allowing for year-round sports, fitness, and recreation options on the city’s east side.  

Key features of the Chandler Park Fieldhouse include:

• Multi-use court for basketball, volleyball, and pickleball
• Football field and track for various sports, including our popular Soccer in the D programming
• Multi-purpose rooms for community activities
• Administrative spaces onsite to provide efficient management
• Shower rooms and inclusive bathrooms for residents
• 200+ space parking lot with bio-swales for sustainable stormwater management

Through the City of Detroit’s community outreach, dozens of meetings were held, and thousands of residents provided input on how they’d like to see these federal dollars spent. Something Detroiters made clear is that they wanted to see some of these funds spent to renovate and expand recreation centers across the City of Detroit. "Thank you to President Biden and the American Rescue Plan Act, Detroiters will now have a great new facility to call their own,” said Mayor Mike Duggan. “The Chandler Park Fieldhouse will not only enhance the quality of life for residents living near the park, it will offer all Detroiters a place to go for indoor sports year-round.”

Based on this feedback and thanks to City Council’s approval of these ARPA-funded projects, not only is work beginning on the Chandler Park Fieldhouse, but this year residents will see work beginning on the renovation of the Dexter Elmhurst Recreation Center and on an exciting expansion planned for the Farwell Recreation Center.  

In addition to its multisport use, Chandler Park Fieldhouse will serve as an indoor sporting event community building. "After many years of community input and planning efforts, we are excited to see this vision become a reality for the Chandler community," said Crystal Perkins, Director of the General Services Department. "Chandler Park Fieldhouse will be a trailblazer for what's possible through leadership, community, and engagement."

Perkins emphasized that while it's the first of its kind in the city, the Fieldhouse affords Detroit youth the same access and quality they would find in neighboring suburbs, further showcasing parks and recreation efforts to show families they don't have to leave Detroit to find fun and opportunities. 

"The Chandler Park Fieldhouse will be a tremendous asset to Detroit's athletic/sports community and is a welcomed addition to District 4," said Councilmember Latisha Johnson. "It is also a step towards filling the lack of recreational facilities in District 4, where our residents will soon enjoy year-round access to a fantastic venue to view and participate in various sports and recreational activities." 

The City of Detroit’s Construction & Demolition Department is overseeing the construction of the Chandler Park Fieldhouse. Preparations have been underway for construction to begin, with fencing going up mid-December around the project site. The City of Detroit’s Construction and Demolition Department is pleased to partner on this project with Detroit-based contractor L.S. Brinker – a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) certified organization.

"Transparency is the cornerstone of progress and our commitment to a better Detroit," said LaJuan Counts, executive director of the Construction & Demolition Department. "As we anticipate the commencement of this state-of-the-art facility, I extend heartfelt gratitude to the Detroit City Council, Mayor Duggan for his leadership, and our dedicated Construction and Demo Team. Together, we're building not just a structure but a brighter future for our community."

Construction of the Chandler Park Fieldhouse is set to be completed in 2025.