Reviving Palmer Park

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or Palmer Woods and the surrounding neighborhoods' residents, Palmer Park is becoming a destination thanks to nonprofit People for Palmer Park.

The park stretches from about 6 Mile to 7 Mile Road, and Woodward Avenue to Pontchartrain, says Rochelle Lento, president of the three-year-old nonprofit and Palmer Woods resident. When the city park was slated for closure, people protested and the nonprofit came about.

PFPP works with the city's recreation department and general services, says Barbara Barefield, event chair for the nonprofit who handles marketing. The group has worked to clean up the trails, and there are recreational activities, including little league baseball, tennis lessons, free yoga and more at the park.

There are events, too, including: Log Cabin Day in June to celebrate the park's cabin, Harvest Festival in fall, and Winter Fest, coming Feb. 1. PFPP is planning a Palmer Park Art Fair for May, Barefield says.

The park got a new splash park recently, and in spring, it will have a new playground, too, Lento says.

"I think a park like this just provides a whole different quality of life," Lento says.

Keep up with what's happening at Palmer Park. Visit peopleforpalmerpark.org.