DETROIT (WXYZ) — As the City of Detroit continues to lay out their plan for a safe summer, they have unveiled details for Occupy the Summer, a program designed to keep kids occupied while school is not in session.
Watch Glenda Lewis's video report:
Mayor Mary Sheffield, Police Chief Todd Bettison, and other community partners made the announcement Tuesday during a news conference:
“Youth in our city deserve to have a summer filled with fun activities designed with them in mind, and that’s what Occupy the Summer is all about,” said Mayor Sheffield. “It’s when they don’t have recreational options that young people can sometimes apply their energy in less constructive ways, so we are going to load them up with 10 weeks for activities.”
"Occupy The Summer is about more than programming—it’s about prevention, being present and investing in the future of our young people,” said Bettison. "Utilizing data driven from Community Violence Intervention gives us a real-time snapshot of what neighborhoods are most impacted by violence-- so we know exactly where to place resources. Additionally, together, we are taking a proactive public safety approach that is centered on opportunity, mentorship, and engagement. The Detroit Police Department fully supports Occupy the Summer because it truly reflects what public safety looks like when community, city leaders, and law enforcement work together to create safe spaces, positive experiences, and pathways for our youth."
Occupy the Summer will include:
- Extended Recreation Center Hours at Crowell, Adams Butzel, Kemeny, Farwell, Heilmann, Butzel Family, Coleman Young, Helen Moore, and Northwest Activities Center on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. All 9 locations will remain open until 11 PM throughout the summer.
- Weekly Friday Activations in neighborhoods across each City Council district, similar to the Occupy the Corner series, featuring community activities, city resources, local vendors, and cultural programming. As plans for each are finalized, details will be available at OccupyTheSummer.com
The summer Friday lineup that is already set and will run Fridays at 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.:
- June 12 - Occupy the Summer Kick-off / Adams Butzel
- June 19 - Juneteenth Celebration / Crowell Recreation Center
- July 10 - Skate Night with Royal Skateland / Corrigan Park
- July 17 - Sports Night / Lasky Recreation Center
- July 19 (Sunday) - HOOPFEST in Partnership w/NW Goldberg Cares/Curtis Jones Park
- July 24 - Small Business and Sheff Tank Pitch Competition / TBD
- July 31 - Arts & Culture Night / TBD
- August 7 - Bike Night / Joe Louis Greenway Pavillion
- August 14 - Finale in Partnership with Metro Detroit Youth Day / Diehl Club
The programs will also include the return of Midnight Basketball with a Midnight Basketball League for young adults (men and women) ages 18–26 with structured play, mentorship, and wraparound services operating across three regions of the city. Perks of joining include free jerseys, shoes, and haircuts. There will be a Men’s and Women’s League at the following locations:
- East (Heilmann Recreation Center),
- West (Adams Butzel Recreation Center),
- Southwest (Kemeny Recreation Center)
The men’s league will begin playing every Saturday starting June 13, and the women’s league will begin playing every Thursday starting June 18. The season will be 7 weeks, and both the men’s and women’s leagues will culminate in a championship game at the end of the season.
Once the Midnight Basketball League reaches capacity at these locations, the Northwest Activities Center and Coleman Young Recreation Center will become overflow sites for pickup basketball games. Registration for Midnight Basketball participants is now open at www.OccupyThfeSummer.com.
The Occupy The Summer program will also include three signature Events — a summer kickoff and bike giveaway, a mid-summer event in partnership with NW Goldberg Cares, and a finale in partnership with Metro Detroit Youth Day, powered by Boys and Girls Club of Greater Detroit, including a school supply and backpack giveaway. Details on these events will be announced soon.
Volunteers are needed to work parts of the program. Residents can sign up at bit.ly/OTSVolunteer.
Those who would like to contribute, but can’t volunteer, can reach out to us for sponsorship or donations at OccupytheSummer@detroitmi.gov
