Berkley Parks & Recreation to Host Grand Opening for New Park on Friday, June 11, 2021
Media Contacts:
Theresa McArleton; Parks & Recreation Director; tmcarleton@berkleymich.net; 248-658-3479
Torri Mathes, Community Engagement Officer; tmathes@berkleymich.net; 248-658-3333 
Berkley, MI - May 25, 2021 - Berkley’s Parks and Recreation Department will be hosting a grand opening for the Oxford/Merchants Park Development on Friday, June 11, 2021, at 4 PM (2100 Bacon Ave. Berkley MI, 48072).
The development of this park will serve as a significant destination point for the city. It is a place for Berkley residents and community members to gather, celebrate, play, connect, and be a space for solidarity.
"In the last year, we have seen how much value our parks and community gathering spaces hold, said Theresa McArleton, Parks & Recreation Director. “We hope this newly developed park will serve as a beautiful place for Berkley families to come together for years to come."
The park’s grand opening celebration includes a ceremonial ribbon-cutting event with Berkley Mayor Dan Terbrack and honored guests, the reveal of a new park name, and live music by Harmonic Swell & The Bridge of Reverberation. The celebration will be abiding by the CDC and State COVID-19 public health guidelines for outdoor gatherings. Residents and community members are invited and encouraged to attend the grand opening festivities.
"We are so grateful to the residents who helped us shape and create this space over the last few years. We are also exceedingly thankful to the City’s leadership who showed their continued support for the park development and pushed to maintain green space in the city,” said McArleton.
Planning for the new park included extensive community outreach which allowed the public to determine park features and provide valuable insight on the design. Phase one of the new park and its 6.7 acres will feature the installation of restroom facilities, a splash pad, play structures, and walking paths to the recreational amenities. Partial funding came from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) program. The LWCF provided a $180,000 grant to support the development of this park.
For more details and to learn more about the park and grand opening, visit the City’s website at www.berkleymich.org/oxford-merchant-park-plan.
About the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF)
The LWCF is a federal program administered by the United States Department of Interior’s National Park Service and implemented locally by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.