Local park repurposes tennis court into an interactive bicycle garden

FLINT, Mich. (WNEM) - Bright colors and a maze of painted roadways are inviting the imaginations of children to a once dilapidated tennis court in Flint’s Mott Park.

“This tennis court was in the worst shape. It had no net and only one pole. We were thinking of ways to repurpose this space and this is something we heard about,” said Mott Park Neighborhood Association President Chad Schlosser.

Chad Schlosser said the idea of transforming the court into a bicycle garden for children was born out of a conversation with many people responsible for caring for Mott Park.

Schlosser says they partnered with the Flint Public Art Project to make it an interactive mural. The hope is that it will be a safe space for children to learn how to ride bicycles, scooters or even learn how to rollerblade or roller skate.

Bicycle garden opens in Flint's Mott Park.(Mott Park Neighborhood Association)

“We did refurbish another tennis court to its original form because we want that to be part of our future as well, but we thought diversifying the recreation options in Mott Park would be valuable,” said Schlosser.

Funds to complete the project were raised through donations and grants. New asphalt was poured in August. A local artist, Michael Cobley, started painting the interactive mural on October 4, 2022.

“We hope it will be a place where memories are made and kids feel they are growing up in one of the coolest places,” said Schlosser.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the news bicycle garden was held on October 11, 2022 to open the bicycle garden to the public.

One more tennis court in the neighborhood is expected to be repurposed. Funds will be raised in the upcoming year to possibly transform it into a basketball court with a mural.