Community Push is a nonprofit organization that has adopted and maintained the defunct Wigle Recreation Center’s outdoor area since 2014. The organization aims to bridge the gap between skateboarders and the community. The group has created a DIY skatepark in the space, now affectionately called “The Wig”. In addition to skateboarding, you will find kids playing basketball and football, young children chasing their fidget spinners in the grass. It has become a safe space for midtown youth and residents to gather for recreational use in an area of the City that is lacking in recreational amenities.
Some would inaccurately describe the Wigle Recreation Center as vacant. However, it’s become a unique, growing labor of love to the community. Skaters, neighbors, students from the surrounding schools, have made The Wig their home. As the only large open green space left in Midtown, it’s been a gathering space and home to many impromptu baseball games, BBQs, community clean ups, pick up basketball games, etc. despite the fact that the city no longer maintains the site.
Community Push has been operating and maintaining The Wig knowing the space would eventually be sold to a developer and was slotted to become a Residential Development. Unfortunately, the time has come. Earlier this month, Mayor Mike Duggan announced plans for the site’s future: a $77 million mixed residential-retail space with 335 units for tenants and 8,000-square-feet for restaurants and shops called “Midtown West.” City officials tout the development as the first utilization of the community benefits agreement, which requires developments costing more than $75 million to go before community representatives. And that they did.
The first Community Benefits Meeting took place on May 23rd at Detroit Delta Prep High School, adjacent to The Wig. Derrick Dykas, Community Push’s founder and president, asked his community to show up to that meeting in solidarity — to bring awareness to the fact that this space is not vacant. It provides a community benefit not only to those that skateboard, but to others that live in the neighborhood and see value in green space, alternative recreation, and safe places for children and teens to grow and be productive. Sixty or more people responded to that call of action. Skateboarders, lawyers, friends, parents, kids from the neighborhood, and community stakeholders showed up to that meeting and walked in together. I’ve never seen a developer looks so nervous.
It was an incredible thing to be a part of. But it’s not over. I look forward to bringing awareness to the benefit The Wig has for the neighborhood and to the growth of skateboarding in Detroit. Eli Newman interviewed some skaters at The Wig, and I think this quote sums it up best:“Among the skaters, Amir and Rashad Wright stand out. They’re 10-year-old, identical twin brothers who just learned to skate a few weeks ago at the Wig. “We saw it, we wanted to come, but we didn’t have any boards, so Derrick right there gave us some boards,” Amir says. The twins are fast learners, cruising around on their new boards, working on ollies. “We ain’t have nothing to do at home so like we’d come here and play with our friends,” Rashad says.
“And stay out of trouble,” Amir adds.”