It seems some hard work is really paying off for the city of Sterling Heights. The newly re-invigorated Dodge Park has earned a 2020 Park Design Award from the mParks-Michigan Recreation and Park Association, which was presented to the city's parks and recreation department last week at an mParks conference in Novi.

“It is always a great feeling to be recognized by our peers in the profession for work being done locally,” said Sterling Heights Parks and Recreation Director Kyle Langlois.

“We are very proud of what Dodge Park has become and what it means for our community, and are happy that we have been able to bring new recreation opportunities to our residents. It is flattering to hear that other professionals and municipalities have taken note and see Sterling Heights Dodge Park as a gold standard.”

mParks honors exemplary parks and recreation professionals, agencies and citizen advocates through the association’s annual awards. Winners of the design award are determined using criteria such as project purpose, unique problems or techniques used, local significance, degree of innovation, aesthetic quality, functionality, and construction viability.

Sterling Heights is home to 26 neighborhood and five major parks and the city is nearing the end of a three-year, $45 million “Recreating Recreation” project, designed to bring new energy to parks and active community facilities in the area. Dodge Park has seen an abundance of changes over the last couple years with the addition of the Splash Pad, Dodge Park Farmers Market pavilion, Dodge Park Ice Rink, new amphitheater, canoe and kayak livery.