The creation of Red Run Park is an offshoot of the Pathway to Play and Preservation millage Sterling Heights voters passed in November 2024. In a news release, the city said development of the park is a concerted effort to upgrade an underserved area.
By: Gary Winkelman | Sterling Heights Sentry | Published May 12, 2026
STERLING HEIGHTS — A new “flagship” park filled with amenities is set to open this fall on the city’s south side.
The official launch of Red Run Park was celebrated May 5 with Sterling Heights City Council members digging into a dirt mound in a symbolic groundbreaking for the project, which will transform the 15-acre site into a recreational destination.
“This is going to be an incredible park,” Mayor Michael Taylor said. “There's certain parks that just have more amenities. This is going to be one of those. And to have it here in the southern portion of the city where we've been doing everything we can to get more amenities for the people in this area and this neighborhood is just an absolutely incredible thing.”
The new park is an offshoot of the Pathway to Play and Preservation millage voters passed in November 2024.
In a news release, the city said development of Red Run Park is a concerted effort to upgrade an underserved area of Sterling Heights.
“This has been a thoughtful and strategic process from the start,” Parks and Recreation Director Kyle Langlois said. “We looked at where we had gaps across the city and what residents were asking for, and built a park that not only fills those needs but introduces new and innovative amenities that will serve the community for years to come.”
When complete, the park will feature six lighted pickleball courts, a basketball court, dedicated dog park and interior nonmotorized trails. Additional amenities include a 24-hour public library kiosk, providing around-the-clock access to materials and services, along with a rentable pavilion and other gathering spaces.
The project also offers a year-round heated restroom facility with enhanced accessibility features, including an adult changing station, and a unique dinosaur-theme play structure with enhanced accessibility features. “Thoughtfully designed pathways,” the city’s news release says, “will ensure the park serves residents of all ages and abilities, reinforcing its role as a welcoming, community-focused space.”
“This park is going to have something for everybody,” Langlois said to a small crowd of people who attended the groundbreaking ceremony. “This is going to be a connecting point on the Iron Belle Trail, which goes from Belle Isle all the way up to the Upper Peninsula.”
Officials said Red Run Park is expected to open in late fall, weather permitting.
“This truly is an exciting venture that we're about to get into,” Langlois said. “We're taking an area of land that has been sitting in Sterling Heights for decades and we are getting ready to take this blank canvas and make it into something very special and a pride point for the community.”
On top of introducing more recreational opportunities, Langlois said the development offers other upsides to the area as well.
“Parks have benefits well beyond mental and physical,” he said. “They're great for property values, and this is going to be no exception to that.”
Taylor said he believes the city’s newest park will be a popular addition to the community.
“When we get the residents out here using this, you're going to see what an incredible improvement this is to this area,” he said. “I can't wait to get it underway.”
Call Staff Writer Gary Winkelman at (586) 498-1070.