Memorial Park
The St. John Street Historical Committee began organizing in 2021 to develop a community-driven vision for a memorial park in honor of the historic St. John Neighborhood where we once lived before it was demolished to make way for the I-475 highway and industrial expansion.
Our vision for the memorial is described and illustrated in the St. John Street Neighborhood Memorial Plan.
Since the Memorial Plan was created, the St. John Street Historical Committee has worked with partners including Environmental Transformation Movement of Flint, iMichigan Productions, Sloan Museum, and the UM-Flint Design Studio to raise more than $2 million to develop the St. John Street Neighborhood Memorial Park in the vision of the people who once lived there.
In February 2023, Flint Mayor Sheldon Neely announced that a $1-million state grant will be used to begin the development of the St. John Street Memorial Park at 3400 W. Boulevard Dr., in the City of Flint park formerly known as West Boulevard Park. This is the last remaining public park in the historic St. John Street neighborhood and was officially renamed by the City of Flint as the "St. John Street Neighborhood Memorial Park" due to the advocacy of the St. John Street Historical Committee.
The park will honor the history of St. John Street by serving as a gathering space and include historical information to preserve the stories and the memories of a community integrated neighborhood filled with local businesses, schools, and a community center that did just that - be a community center for the very young to the very old neighbors of that time.
The park will include a historically-themed playground, a large pavilion, historical signs about the neighborhood, memorial benches, refurbished 3 miles of the Flint River Trail, expanded parking, and other amenities.
The "St. John Street Memorial Fund" has been set up at the Community Foundation of Greater Flint for anyone wanting to contribute to building/maintaining the memorial and programming at the memorial to keep the memory of our beloved neighborhood alive for future generations. Please consider donating and click here for more information.
