Inside the New Ralph C. Wilson Centennial Park in Detroit

The “Bridge to Bridge” plan for Detroit’s riverfront is now even closer to reality.

For more than 20 years, the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy has been working to transform the waterfront between the Ambassador Bridge to Canada and the Belle Isle Bridge from a dilapidated industrial shore to a publicly accessible recreation spot. And the opening in October of Ralph C. Wilson Centennial Park has been a big step in that transformation.

“It’s a world-class park,” says conservancy CEO Ryan Sullivan. “It’s alive, it’s real and it’s open. It’s a dream come true.”

In 2018, on what would have been the 100th birthday of Ralph Wilson, the industrialist’s namesake foundation announced the awarding of $200 million in grants for parks in Detroit and Buffalo. The idea was to create world-class parks in Detroit, the city where he became rich, and Buffalo, the city where he became famous as the founding owner of the Buffalo Bills. (The Buffalo park is slated to open this summer.)

The 22-acre Ralph C. Wilson Centennial Park got $50 million for development and programming, coming up with a community-centered plan that includes four main areas already open for visitors.

The Delta Dental Play Garden features Slide Central, which includes a 20-foot, bear-shaped slide, swing sets, a treehouse and a play area for small children. When the weather gets hot this summer, the Water Wonderland will debut, featuring splash pads.

The DTE Foundation Summit is an open area for picnickers, walkers or people who just want to stretch out and gaze at the Detroit River. It will also serve as a location for programming, from movies to concerts. 

The Huron-Clinton Metroparks Water Garden marks the first Metroparks location in Detroit, featuring paths and open-air classrooms, offering the possibility of field trips and other outdoor learning.

The William Davidson Sport House – named for the former owner of the Detroit Pistons, whose eponymous foundation also provided a grant for the park’s construction – is a 28,000-square-foot, open-air pavilion that features two basketball courts.

The facilities are not only impressive, Sullivan says, but will be instrumental for park programming.

“This opens up new horizons for us,” Sullivan says, adding that they’re already thinking of health and wellness and history-themed events for the season. “We’ve been acclaimed for our programming for years, and this just takes it to the next level.

“There are going to be a lot of firsts in the park. We’re focused on having an incredible first year.”