Community: City of Port Huron
Population: 10,000+
Sprout City is our latest creative park project in Port Huron, Michigan. This placemaking park is an amazing addition to our city and features little buildings, a safe place to ride bikes and many unique play features.
The most inspiring part of this project is the civic engagement with all who participated in its development. Church groups helped construct community gardens, Habitat for Humanity built the buildings, The Lions Club added Braille signs, and art students assisted with painting. Sprout City provides an unmatched innovative play experience which gives parents a way to get their children outside for play.
We took an unused area of Palmer Park which was not conducive to recreation activities and redeveloped it into something exciting. Since the opening two weeks ago, the park has proved itself an asset drawing people from all over the county. Sprout City was built through cooperation and the collective interdepartmental effort to create something amazing.
Replicability:
This project can be replicated very easily with the help of community groups and creative minds. This project would be easy to do in any community. First it is getting someone to help build houses (like Habitat for Humanity) have engineering or DPW make the asphalt track and then add creative touches from parents in the community.
Creativity and Originality:
By design, Sprout City is highly original and creative. With so many inventive minds contributing to the project, our small city has flourished. Professional artist Roger Hansel painted some lovely exteriors on the buildings and local art students contributed with decorative touches. This type of park, modeling after a city but in miniature, is one-of-kind. The park features creative touches such as: dinosaur bones at the bottom of the sand pit, specially designed painting easels, and ADA accessible community gardens. Habitat for Humanity built the buildings, each one with a specific purpose in mind. We have a workshop garage, market, house, post office/bank, and hospital. Our Sprout City was built with kids in mind with our innovative play features encouraging creativity. So while the park is encouraging creativity in others, it is also creative in itself. This is a one of kind park with play, children and families in mind.
Community Impact:
The impact of Sprout City on the community has been both fast and easily evident. You can see the impact based on the amount of feedback, suggestions, and questions our department has received. The small city has already made waves, the news of it rippling throughout the county. Many parents have expressed their delight in having something so unique and innovative in their community. Our exciting new development has brought more creative outdoor and innovative play to the area. It’s important for Port Huron Parks and Recreation to provide safe spaces for parents to spend active time with their children. In providing this space, we directly contribute to the happiness of our citizens, both big and small. Great Communities Make great Parks and Great Parks Make Great Communities.
