Politics & Government

Ground Broken for New Park Named After Late Fire Chief Shepherd

Township officials joined with the family of late Fire Chief Gene Shepherd for groundbreaking ceremonies for a park named in his honor.

The family of late Fire Chief Gene Shepherd joined with township officials Thursday to break ground on a new park named in his honor.
The groundbreaking for the park comes nearly one year after the chief lost his battle with cancer.
“Of all the people they could name a park after, they chose my husband,” his widow, Lee Ann Shepherd said at the ceremony, according to a release.
The park, located on the former Soccer City property on 23 Mile Road east of Dequindre Road, will include bocce ball courts, soccer fields and firefighter‐themed play areas.
“This project is a great tribute to a great man, and we are very happy to be able to honor him to name the park after him,” Township Treasurer Michael Flynn said in a release.
Flynn, who serves as the board liaison to the Parks and Recreation Department and made the motion last year to name the park after the chief, added, “The process of getting to construction is a testament to the teamwork of the Board of Trustees, the Parks and Recreation Committee and the private sector with groups like Belfor Restoration helping out.”
The township has received a $10,000 donation Belfor for the park. Sunoco also donated $25,000 toward the new park.
Township officials are utilizing existing infrastructure including the parking lot, lighting and restrooms which should allow the park to be completed by August.
“I know that Chief Shepherd would have appreciated the teamwork and the out‐of‐the‐box thinking that has gone into planning and funding this project,” Stathakis said, in a release. “We are doing this with minimal government money, and Chief Shepherd was always atthe forefront of providing the best possible service to residents and doing so in the most fiscally responsible manner.”


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