Construction begins on $1.2 million Saint John Street Neighborhood Memorial Park

A city reporter announced that construction is underway on the Saint John Street Neighborhood Memorial Park, a $1,200,000 project intended to honor Black and immigrant families who lived in the neighborhood before demolition for I-475 in the early 1970s.

The project includes a completed walking path and historically themed playground, and crews were reported to be pouring concrete for new sidewalks while work continued on a 50-by-70-foot pavilion. “Construction is moving forward on Flint's new Saint John Street Neighborhood Memorial Park, a $1,200,000 project,” the reporter said.

Former residents attended a site visit and described the park as a legacy project. One attendee said, “I feel good about it because it's just something for the children to look at, what we had to go through to get this,” attributing the park’s value to preserving neighborhood history.

The reporter said the park will provide space for families, educational programs and community gatherings. The broadcast did not include a construction timeline beyond the immediate work described or list specific funding sources beyond the project total.