Flint moves forward with $1.2M plan to restore historic park

FLINT, Mich. — A $1.2 million project to revitalize a historic park on Flint’s north side is once again moving forward after two years and a change in contractors. 

Flint City Council members Tuesday approved a contract with Gross Construction for improvements at St. John Street Neighborhood Memorial Park. The agreement is for an amount not to exceed $1.239 million, according to council documents.

The park serves to commemorate the original St. John Street neighborhood, which was largely demolished in the early 1970s to make way for Interstate-475. The demolition displaced many Black and immigrant residents who lived in the neighborhood.

“In essence, St. John Street Memorial Park is both a tribute to what was lost and a reclamation of community identity, ensuring that the story of north Flint’s most diverse and self-sustaining neighborhood is never forgotten,” city officials wrote in a letter to the council.

About $1 million of the funding comes from a grant agreement between Flint and the Department of Natural Resources, which was approved by the council to be used for park improvements in April 2023. The contract for the construction was originally awarded to A/E Collaborative in March 2024, though the city cancelled the agreement and reopened the bidding process due to the contractor’s “inadequate performance.”

“I’m really excited about this project, and I’m glad to see that we’re really close to putting the shovel in the ground,” said James Wardlow, President of the St. John Street Historical Committee. “Through the persistence of the committee, and all the people and agencies we collaborated with, we got through these pitfalls. Having lived in the St. John Street area and growing up in that area, I see this as a grand step in preserving our history as a self-contained community of majority Black people.”

Among the planned park improvements are an expansion of the trail along the Flint River from eight to 10 feet wide, removing the existing parking lot to construct a new one near Massachusetts Street with a new pavilion area, and the installation of new signage and playground equipment.

Other amenities to be added include bike racks, picnic tables, ornamental benches and trash receptacles, according to council documents.

Wardlow said his organization is currently working with Mayor Sheldon Neeley’s office to schedule a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the beginning of the next phase of the reconstruction efforts.

Once construction starts, Wardlow predicts the park renovations should be completed within six to seven months.