A Brief History
Named in celebration of Detroit native and former Carhartt, Inc. Chairman and CEO, Robert C. Valade, this park is located on a former industrial site that has had many uses, from a concrete plant, to a Coast Guard facility, to the Dodge Family’s boat house. Since opening in 2019, Valade Park has connected Stroh River Place and the Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre.
The project has been supported by a diverse group of leaders, including the William Davidson Foundation, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, which selected the project as one its 2017 Knight Cities Challenge winners, the Walters Family Foundation, and the Mona and Richard Alonzo Fund. The Conservancy also received a grant for the project from Gannett/USA Today Network as part of the “A Community Thrives” initiative, which supports programs that positively impact local communities.