Detroit debuts $14M Chandler Park Fieldhouse

• The 130,000-square-foot Chandler Park Fieldhouse offers indoor sports, fitness classes and multipurpose spaces.
• Children, teens and adults can join leagues, youth programs and wellness activities starting Sept. 8 at the new Detroit facility.
• The field house, funded by nearly $14 million in federal ARPA money, is the first full recreation center in Detroit’s District 4 in 19 years.

For years, Detroit’s east side lacked adequate access to year-round recreation facilities. Now, the 130,000-square-foot Chandler Park Fieldhouse has opened, offering sports, fitness and recreation opportunities for all ages.

City officials and community members gathered on Wednesday, Aug. 20, for the grand opening. The domed facility features a turf sports field, a multi-sports court, a track, multipurpose rooms, fitness areas, lockers, showers and bathrooms.

Lorena Johnson, a lifelong resident of Detroit’s east side, said the new field house will bring the community closer and provide more activities for her eight grandchildren.

“This gives them something to do rather than being on those computers,” she said.

Johnson added that the 200-acre park has “changed tremendously” and has a lot more amenities since she and her sister rode their bikes through it as kids. In addition to the field house, Chandler Park boasts an 18-hole public golf course, Wayne County’s Family Aquatic Center and a skate park.

At the grand opening, the city provided resource tables and showcased some of the sports and activity clinics that will be offered inside the dome, including yoga, soccer, golf, football, pickleball, lacrosse and more. Residents of all ages — from children to seniors — played, danced and tried out the new space as soon as they walked through the doors after the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Kelly Trice, who lives across the street from Chandler Park, expressed her gratitude for the free senior membership at the new community facility. In remission from Stage 1 lung cancer, she said she plans to take advantage of the track, yoga classes and the pickleball sessions to regain her stamina.

“I’ve been here over 40 years, and we’ve been promised a rec center for forever, and it never came to fruition — until today,” Trice said. “I got a safe place to go now.”

A long-time advocate for the Chandler Park Fieldhouse has been Detroit City Councilmember Latisha Johnson, who represents District 4. She said the field house is the first full recreation center in her district in 19 years, since the Cannon Rec Center was demolished in 2006.

“This dome is a symbol of hope, opportunity and investment in our future,” Johnson said. “For far too long, families, young people and seniors have waited for a space like this.”

The facility was funded by nearly $14 million through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Mayor Mike Duggan said most cities used the funds to plug budget deficits, but Detroit was in good financial shape and prioritized the Chandler Park Fieldhouse.

“Over the years, the City of Detroit had closed 20 different recreation centers,” Duggan said. “So we made sure that the (ARPA) money went to build things that would last the city for generations.”

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The center will not only give children and teens a place to compete in sports, but also a chance to learn new skills and find support.

“It gives them mentors to look up to, programs and organizations that are willing to reach out,” Trice said. “We can only do so much as parents. When we have outside resources, it actually makes a difference.”

“If one child’s life is saved because of this recreational center, it was worth every penny,” Councilman Coleman Young II told the crowd on Wednesday.

Shay Lewis, director of athletics and general manager for Detroit Parks and Recreation, said the goal of the programming at the new facility is to foster community engagement and provide organized activities for families in Detroit.

“Sports builds character. You learn so many life lessons that can help you be successful through sports: teamwork, accountability, commitment, dedication, hard work,” Lewis said. “Sports brings communities together. It brings generations together.”

The Detroit Parks and Recreation Department offers training for those who want to become volunteer coaches and work with the city’s sports leagues throughout the year.

“What I love about what I do is I’m able to develop youth through sports,” Lewis said. “It’s just a blessing to have this facility.”

Programming at the Chandler Park Fieldhouse begins Sept. 8. The facility will be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; it will be closed on Sundays. Residents can book the field house for private events, such as sports clinics and tournaments, online through RecTrac, according to the city.

“We’ll be doing volleyball, basketball, soccer, golf, flag football and speed and agility all throughout the next few months,” Lewis said. “We’ll also have fitness classes, dance classes and things of that nature.”

For information on membership prices, click here.

Nour Rahal is a trending and breaking news reporter. Email her: nrahal@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @nrahal1.