Riverbank Park is one of Flint’s most popular and heavily used parks. It is located at 100 Saginaw St, Flint, MI 48502. The park is located on the banks of the Flint River and is just a few blocks north of Downtown Flint. It features a grand fountain and an amphitheater. In addition to these facilities, the park offers a number of sports and recreational activities. There are baseball fields, basketball courts, soccer fields, tennis courts, and a playground.
Riverbank Park is an excellent place to enjoy the outdoors. In the summer, kids can play in the park’s splash pad or take advantage of the cool summer sprinklers. For winter, they can go ice skating or play in the artificial snow. Other attractions include an all-purpose sports field, paddle ball courts, and a softball field.
In the past, the park was largely utilized for recreational purposes. But in the years that followed the emergence of the Flint River Corridor, the park suffered from safety concerns and has been underutilized. However, a series of community engagement sessions have been held to reassess the park’s needs and to determine a plan for the future.
One of the key figures in the creation of the park was Franklin Murphy, who was a resident of the Ironbound district of Newark and owned the Murphy Varnish Company in that neighborhood. He worked hard to bring about legislation that established the Essex County Park Commission. As a result, he helped create a large public space for the people of Flint. Additional place to visit near Flint.
Lawrence Halprin & Associates designed the park, which focuses on plant material in geometric forms. It features an amphitheater with an outdoor waterfront seating area that hosts frequent events during the warm months. Also, it has a 400-meter running track that surrounds a softball field and an all-purpose sports field.
Riverbank Park is a critical component of the Flint Riverfront Restoration Project. To keep it safe, it must incorporate the community’s needs and preferences in the future. A stakeholder engagement process will be implemented in the next few years. This will involve a series of outreach sessions with stakeholders in 2021. These will provide input on new designs and plans for the park.
The park has also hosted events, such as a Juneteenth celebration and a Flint Jazz Fest. The park is a great place for sitting or for taking a walk.
Riverbank Park was a part of a flood control project with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The design used a combination of concrete, wood, and natural materials. When it opened in 1979, it was a modernist park. Today, it is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Since its opening, Riverbank Park has hosted numerous events. Some of these have been a public art project and a dance performance. Another event was a summer camp in 1979. Read more articles here.
It was the first of its kind recreation facility. Today, the Riverbank Recreation Center includes an 800-seat amphitheater, an Olympic-size 50-meter swimming pool complex, a 25-yard lap pool, a covered skating rink, a four-tennis court complex, and a number of other amenities.