Detroit Parks & Recreation Department
Detroit Parks and Recreation Department strives to improve the quality of life for all Detroiters through parks, greenways, recreation centers, and programs. Their upmost goals are to improve public health, protect and connect residents to nature & the environment, all while increasing connectivity to parks and recreational opportunities.
The Detroit Exploration Center (D.E.N.) is a City of Detroit property and serves as a hub/ field trip site for drop-in nature programming. Prior to the Detroit Exploration & Nature Center occupying this space, this building served as the club house for the Palmer Park golf course. This course served as a pillar of the community. Since its closing, the former grounds have welcomed a Detroit Bird City Meadow to help promote biodiversity and create new habitat, a little free library for the community to share books, two years of nature based summer camps run through the Detroit Parks & Recreation Department, and countless other students, school groups, and programs that have explored the beautiful park.
If you are interested in reserving the D.E.N. or a pavilion in Palmer Park all inquiries must go through the City of Detroit to obtain a permit. More information about this process can be found here.
The D.E.N. & Park Permits
There are recreation centers in every district of the city of Detroit and more continuously being built! The programming at each recreation center varies, but there is something for all ages to engage in! Please visit this website, to check out your local recreation center’s schedule and see what activities they are offering for the season! A membership is required to participate in many recreation center activities, visit the link below to get yours today!
Many recreation centers also have special events , so be on the lookout for when the next one is happening in your community!
If you don’t have a membership, sign up for one here or during your next visit!
Recreation Centers
The Detroit Parks & Recreation Department offers countless special events at Spirit and Hart Plaza throughout the summer. In addition, they also offer annual events like Easter Fun Fest, Winter Fest, Fall Fest, and many more!
To find out more about these events and the dates that they take place, please visit this website.
To be apart of one of these events please visit this link to become a vender with the city of Detroit!
We hope that you #FindyourFun and to see you at an event very soon!