2025 Regional Showcase Award

This year’s Regional Showcase Award goes to the City of Dearborn for its Park Equity and Access for Civil Engagement (PEACE) Parks Initiative. This award recognizes the historic multi-million dollar investment into three parks and green spaces across the city, incorporating best practices and a multifaceted approach to park space. The PEACE Parks provide passive recreation opportunities and diverse activities for all visitors. It also incorporates innovative stormwater management, small business support, and public art in ways that align the interests and needs of multiple stakeholders – and ways that can be replicated by others.

The project’s primary function is to foster community in every corner of the city, ensuring equity in access to parks and recreation for residents of all incomes, abilities, and backgrounds. It united state, county, and local leaders and attracted enough resources to fund the project entirely from grants. It also took into account best practices and a multifaceted approach to park space, allowing for passive recreation and diverse activations for all visitors. The project also incorporates innovative stormwater management, small business support, and public art in ways that align the interests and needs of multiple stakeholders and ways that can be replicated by others.

In order for the region to achieve its population growth and economic prosperity goals, we need quality public places that are accessible to all and support thriving businesses and neighborhoods, and we also need to think about better stormwater management in every aspect of the built environment. The PEACE Parks address all of these fronts.

It also incorporates innovative stormwater management, small business support, and public art in ways that align the interests and needs of multiple stakeholders – and ways that can be replicated by others.

Congratulations to Dearborn on this transformative project!