Hamtramck's 'Pope Park' subject of crowdfunding campaign

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation has gotten involved in another of its crowdfunding-matching grants, this time in the city of Hamtramck. Karol Wojtyla Pope Park is the target, a pocket park on one of the city's main commercial drags, Joseph Campau Street. The park was built in 1982 to honor the then-pope. Karol Wojtyla served as pope under the name John Paul II from 1978 until his death in 2005.

Over $100,000 in improvements are planned for the park. Nearly half of that would come from this crowdfunding-matching grant hybrid. If the park can raise its goal of $25,000 via crowdfunding by June 1, the MEDC will contribute a $25,000 matching grant.

Organizers say that the park is underutilized and in need of repairs and upgrades to make it more accessible and valuable to the community. Among the upgrades, they hope to enhance lighting, improve the grounds, add seating and landscaping, and repair the mural. In addition to being a more utilized everyday park, organizers say that the upgrades will also encourage formal activities like Polish Mass and adorations.

One way organizers hope to make the park more accessible is by removing the tall fence which separates the park from the sidewalk.

Kathy Angerer, director of Community and Economic Development for the City of Hamtramck, says, "Pope Park is a destination for people not only in the region, but from all over the world and is of historical importance to Hamtramck. The whole city is excited about the project to restore, enhance, maintain, and beautify Pope Park."

This is another in a series of crowdfunding-matching grants for the MEDC, which has previously helped fund a green alley in Midtown and an arts district in the Grand River Creative Corridor. The crowdfunding campaign is an all-or-nothing campaign, meaning that if the Pope Park project does not reach $25,000 by June 1, it won't receive any of the money and whatever money was pledged to the park will be refunded.

Karol Wojtyla Pope Park is located at 10037 Joseph Campau.

View the crowdfunding campaign here.

Source: Michigan Economic Development Corporation
Writer: MJ Galbraith

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