At its Aug. 19 meeting, the Sterling Heights City Council voted unanimously to purchase and install ADA-compliant bleachers at Gerald N. Donovan Park, located on Clinton River Road.
By: Brian Wells | Sterling Heights Sentry | Published August 31, 2025
STERLING HEIGHTS — The Sterling Heights City Council has voted to make improvements at one of the city’s parks.
At its Aug. 19 meeting, the council voted unanimously to purchase and install ADA-compliant bleachers at Gerald N. Donovan Park, located on Clinton River Road.
According to the agenda item, the city’s adaptive recreation softball league has four summer travel softball teams that utilize the ball diamonds at the park, which has led to larger and more diverse crowds attending each game on a regular basis.
“To ensure players and family members have full accessibility, the city has made a commitment to installing ADA-compliant amenities within Donovan Park,” the agenda states.
Marissa Russo, marketing and communications manager for the city, said having available seating will allow more supporters to watch the games.
“Gerald Donovan Park is home to youth and adaptive sports which welcomes players and spectators of all ages and abilities so having available seating amongst fellow spectators allows families, friends and team supporters to be able to cheer on their athletes without being separated,” she said in an email.
According to the agenda, the city budget for 2025 includes funding for the installation of new spectator bleachers at each ball diamond.
The new bleachers will be 30-feet wide and feature five rows of seating with wheelchair accessibility. They will be installed on four concrete pads, which will be 4 inches in depth and measure 30-feet wide by 15 feet long.
According to the agenda item, the cost of the bleachers and concrete pads will be $139,119.71. Russo said there is currently no timeline as to when construction will begin, although when it does, the ball fields will remain usable as the existing bleachers will be kept at the fields until the project is completed.