The City of Morenci was awarded a Spark Grant from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources in the amount of $863,500 to fund the reactivation of Stephenson Park. The DNR received 462 grant applications and Morenci’s Stephenson Park was chosen as one of the 21 projects funded in the state.
The Michigan DNR Spark Grant Program supports projects that provide safe, accessible public recreation facilities and spaces to improve health, introduce new recreation experiences, build on existing park infrastructure, and make it easier for people to enjoy the outdoors.
Morenci’s Stephenson Park – encompassing nearly one residential block – was a gift from a local landowner in the 1860s. In past decades the park was used for a variety of activities ranging from Camp Fire Girls meetings to shuffleboard to fun on the playground. Then the park entered a period of neglect that led to vandalism and the removal of a shelter house. The only pieces of play equipment added were hand-me-downs from another park.
The reactivation of Stephenson Park includes new and accessible playground installations, a quarter-mile paved walking path that extends around the perimeter of the park, a full-size basketball court, a pickle ball court, pavilions, seating, lighting, and parking.
“After gathering input from Morenci residents by way of our Park, Recreation, Open Space, and Greenway Plan survey, community outreach, and collaboration with local and county stakeholders, we formulated a goal to target Stephenson Park for reactivation,” said Heather Sarnac, City of Morenci Director of Community and Economic Development. “This project aims to provide Morenci and the surrounding communities with an accessible, inclusive and safe neighborhood park to gather, play and exercise. We wish to make Stephenson a vital part of the community once again, one that citizens can be proud of.”
The City will continue working with Lisa DuRussel, a landscape architect who is a member of the teaching staff at the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability. DuRussel aided Morenci in the grant application process through the development of a site plan for the project.
Project planning will continue as grant awards are distributed. Projects must be completed by Dec. 31, 2026