Creating safe public spaces in 2020 and beyond
By Dan Biederman
Programming a public park safely and successfully in the time of the coronavirus requires vigilance, patience, and flexible persistence.
We at Biederman Redevelopment Ventures Corporation stressed all these qualities when the Detroit Pistons NBA basketball team approached us to implement a programming plan at five city parks this past summer. The Pistons Neighbors Program is a public-private, partnership initiative of the Pistons and the city of Detroit, with further funding support from the William Davidson Foundation and the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation.
The inception of the 2020 Pistons Neighbors Program preceded the onset of the coronavirus and its lasting effects in the United States. The program’s original goal was to elevate the Detroit Pistons Foundation’s 2019 efforts to renovate neighborhood basketball courts and use the game as a vehicle for change to inspire and improve several communities.
The Pistons envisioned vibrant and active park spaces beyond the courts to serve the neighborhood communities at large. The Pistons and the city of Detroit enlisted our programming experience and expertise to turn their vision into a reality.