Detroit Is Putting Nearly $20 Million Into 11 Parks, Including BMX Track at Dorais

The newest Detroit park improvements are ambitious and pointed. The city is pouring nearly $20 million into 11 neighborhood parks, and the headline project doubles as a love letter to its cycling past. At Dorais Park, home to one of the most storied abandoned bike tracks in the country, the city is building a new bike and nature park anchored by Detroit’s first BMX track and a bike hill. Mayor Mary Sheffield’s administration announced the slate of upgrades this month, all of them shaped by the people who live nearby.

Here is what is coming, which parks make the list, and why the Dorais project carries extra weight. For more neighborhood news, see our Community coverage.

Detroit Park Improvements at a Glance

Investment	Nearly $20 million across 11 parks
Timeline	Second half of 2026
Headline project	Dorais Park bike and nature park, with the city’s first BMX track and a bike hill
Other named projects	Inclusive play area at Eliza Howell, multi-sport court at Jayne-Lasky
How chosen	Ideas suggested by residents and block clubs near each park

The Headline: Dorais Park Goes Back to Its Roots

Of all 11 projects, Dorais Park is the one with a story. The east-side park has long been known for the Dorais Velodrome, a concrete bicycle racing track built in 1969 atop one of the few real hills in Detroit. Riders raced there for two decades before the track fell silent and slowly crumbled. Over the years, volunteers cut back the weeds and even revived racing for a spell, but the velodrome mostly became a legend that cyclists sought out on their own.

Now the city is leaning into that identity. Dorais is set to become a bike and nature park, anchored by what officials call Detroit’s first BMX bike track, along with a new bike hill. The plan does not restore the old velodrome, but it plants a fresh cycling destination on the same ground. For a park defined by two wheels, that is a fitting next chapter.

What Else Is Getting Built

The rest of the money spreads across parks in neighborhoods that asked for the help. At Eliza Howell Park on the northwest side, the city is adding an inclusive play area designed for kids of all abilities. At Jayne-Lasky Park, crews are building a new multi-sport court. City officials stressed that every project on the list started as a resident or block-club suggestion, not a plan handed down from downtown.

That community-first framing came through at the announcement. “Recreation is not just a luxury. It is a vital urban asset, and it is a competitive edge for strong, thriving cities,” said City Councilman Scott Benson. “Vibrant parks attract families, improve mental and physical well-being.”

The Full List of Parks

According to the city and local reports, the 11 parks in line for upgrades are Eliza Howell, Peterson, Jayne-Lasky, Hasse Emery, Farwell, Dorais, Heilmann, Martin Luther King Jr., Cass, Patton, and Simanek. Detailed plans for each are still rolling out, so the exact scope at some parks may firm up as construction moves ahead. Residents can track specifics through the city’s Parks and Recreation updates.

A Bigger Push Behind the Parks

The Detroit park improvements are only one half of the city’s parks story this summer. Detroit also reported record enrollment in its Adopt-A-Park program, which pairs community groups, churches, and businesses with local parks to keep them clean and active. Together, the two efforts point in the same direction. The city funds the big builds, while neighbors handle the day-to-day care.

That partnership matters in a city with hundreds of parks and a long history of stretched maintenance budgets. When residents pick the projects and then help maintain them, the improvements are far more likely to last.

Why It Matters

Twenty million dollars will not remake every park in Detroit, but the approach here is the encouraging part. The city is spending on the amenities people actually asked for, from an inclusive playground to a BMX track, and it is anchoring the marquee project in a piece of genuine Detroit history. For families near these 11 parks, the upgrades are a concrete sign that the neighborhood was heard. Follow RAW for updates as the parks take shape.

Detroit Park Improvements FAQ

How much is Detroit spending?
Nearly $20 million across 11 parks, with the work planned for the second half of 2026.

What is coming to Dorais Park?
A new bike and nature park with the city’s first BMX track and a bike hill, on the same grounds as its historic abandoned velodrome.

Which parks are on the list?
Eliza Howell, Peterson, Jayne-Lasky, Hasse Emery, Farwell, Dorais, Heilmann, Martin Luther King Jr., Cass, Patton, and Simanek, per the city and local reports.

How were the projects chosen?
Residents and block clubs near each park suggested the upgrades.