Officials in Oakland County and Pontiac are celebrating the completion of a $3 million renovation of Pontiac Oaks Park, turning a once-neglected city park into a cleaner, more welcoming place for families to enjoy. 

The park, previously called Hawthorne Park, had problems with illegal trash dumping and run down facilities. Oakland County Parks Planning Supervisor Simon Rivers explains that the county worked closely with local residents to find out what improvements the community really wanted. 

“There was a lot of trash and illegal dumping,” Rivers said. “The fishing pier was in bad shape, and the playground was falling apart in several spots.” 

The county partnered with the city to restore the area. Pontiac will keep ownership of the park, while the county takes over maintenance and construction of new facilities. 

Rivers mentions that upgrades include fixing up the popular fishing pier, renovating the bathrooms, adding new playground equipment, and expanding the disc golf course. 

“We’re making improvements that the community actually wants to see, instead of trying to do things we think are best,” Rivers said. 

Pontiac Oaks is one of several parks being renewed across the county. 

Rivers also says there are plans to improve parks in Southfield, Madison Heights, and Waterford.

This story is a part of WDET’s ongoing series, the Detroit Tree Canopy Project.