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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:

April 24, 2013 Anthony Neely, Press Secretary

313.628.4255 (office)

313.600.0461 (cell)

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MAYOR BING’S ACTIVE AND SAFE CAMPAIGN RECEIVES MAJOR CORPORATE AND FOUNDATION SUPPORT FOR RECREATIONAL PROGRAMS

City of Detroit Parks to Remain Open this Spring/Summer

DETROIT – Detroit Mayor Dave Bing announced today that local businesses and foundations have pledged $14 million to his Active and Safe Campaign to support recreational centers and programming. Additionally, the Mayor announced that all of the city’s parks will remain open this spring and summer as a result of reallocated funding, grants and community support.

Mayor Bing was joined at today’s news conference by Matthew Simoncini, president and CEO of Lear Corporation, which is donating $5 million over five years to support the city’s recreation centers and parks. The Mayor and Simoncini were flanked by representatives from other corporations and foundations that have contributed money to the campaign: General Motors, Marathon Oil, UAW-Ford, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Ford Motor Company, DTE Energy, Detroit International Bridge Company, Belle Isle Conservancy (Women’s Committee), McGregor Fund, and Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan. In-kind donations are being made by AOL, Fifth Third Bank, VisionIT, and Vesco Oil. (See attached donor fact sheet for details on the contributions.)

“This is another great example of how the business community and foundations have stepped up to support the city in our efforts to improve the quality of life for our citizens,” Mayor Bing said. “Even in the midst of a major financial restructuring of the city, we must stay focused on basic needs. In just a couple of months, Detroit children will be out of school for the summer and it is vital that we provide recreational options that will help keep them active and safe.”

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“At Lear, we are committed to supporting the communities where we do business,” said Simoncini. “We are proud to partner with the Mayor to fund improvements in the parks and recreation facilities and programs that will benefit the citizens of Detroit, particularly our young people.”

"We are grateful to the Mayor for his commitment to recreation, and we thank the business and philanthropic community for supporting the Mayor’s vision for an active and safe Detroit,” said Detroit Recreation Department Director Alicia Minter. “The funding received through this partnership has enabled our department to enhance programming for all ages, but especially our youth and seniors."

 

Last month, the corporate community stepped up to contribute $8 million to the public safety component of the Active and Safe Campaign. The money is being used to acquire 23 new ambulances for the Detroit Fire Department’s EMS unit and 100 new patrol cars for the Detroit Police Department. To date, a total of $22 million has been raised toward the $60 million goal of the three-year campaign.

In addition to the funds raised for the Active and Safe Campaign, the City of Detroit’s General Services Department has received financial assistance from the State of Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Wayne County and the federal Community Development Block Grant Program to keep city parks open. Earlier this year, Mayor Bing said 50 Detroit parks would have to close due to the City Council’s failure to approve a Belle Isle lease agreement with the State of Michigan, which would have freed up funds and staff to maintain and operate city parks.

Several businesses, community groups and residents also have come forward to adopt parks in order to keep them open.

”We want to thank all of our wonderful partners who have adopted parks across the city,” said Brad Dick, director of the General Services Department. “Three years ago, Mayor Bing put out a call to service for residents and organizations to take a stronger interest in their parks. At that time, we only had 26 individuals and groups pledge to adopt parks. Today, that number has grown to 119.”

The General Services Department expects to begin mowing park lawns next month. High use parks will be mowed on a 10-14 day cycle, while parks with lower use will be cut on a three-week cycle. Permanent staff will be placed at five of the busiest parks — Palmer, Patton, Clark, Farwell and Lasky — to manage daily maintenance. In addition to employing eligible seasonal workers, the City of Detroit is currently hiring employees to service all of the parks.

Recreation & Parks

DONOR USE OF FUNDS

• Lear Corporation Maintain Hope, Messmer & Williams Parks

Improve Hope playfield and Messmer & Williams play lots Staff & equipment costs for 2012-13 fiscal year

• General Motors Facility improvements at Williams & Lasky Parks

• Marathon Oil New construction of Kemeny Center

• UAW-Ford Infrastructure repairs & state-of-the-art softball/baseball diamond at Balduck Park

• W.K. Kellogg Foundation Summer day camps for children

Late night sports and life skills training for young adults

• Ford Motor Company Fund Enhanced youth programming at Patton Center

Youth day camps

• DTE Energy Youth employment at recreation centers and parks

• Detroit International Bridge Co. General use for the campaign

• Belle Isle Conservancy Roof repair at Belle Isle Conservatory

(Women’s Committee)

• McGregor Fund Recreation center operations

• Community Foundation for General use for the campaign

Southeast Michigan

DONOR IN-KIND DONATION

• AOL 72 laptop computers for 13 recreation centers

• Fifth Third Bank Lobby enhancement, computer lab and marketing for Northwest Activities Center

• VisionIT Computer hardware and tech support for police mini-stations inside recreation centers

• Vesco Oil Lubricants for park maintenance equipment

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