Sterling Heights approves $4.73 million construction contract for Red Run Park
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Summary
Council awarded a $4,725,094.65 contract to SDE Construction Services for Red Run Park, approving a park plan that includes six lighted pickleball courts, a second dog park and multi‑phase connectivity; councilors raised questions about adding a basketball court, neighbor impacts and procurement transparency.
The Sterling Heights City Council voted to award a construction contract for Red Run Park to SDE Construction Services Inc. for $4,725,094.65, authorizing the city manager to sign related project documents.
Parks & Recreation Director Kyle Langloy presented the project as a multi‑phase effort that will develop the city’s roughly 15‑acre Red Run Park into a flagship facility. The initial scope includes six lighted pickleball courts (the largest concentration of courts in that quadrant of the city), a second dog park, internal paths to improve walkability and connections to the city’s broader trail system. Langloy said the park will serve both the immediate neighborhood and regional users and noted funding will come from the Pathway to Play and Preservation millage along with targeted grants; he flagged a separate bridge and Amsterdam connection that the city will seek grant support to complete.
Council members and residents questioned whether a basketball court should be added, citing heavy demand at existing courts and concerns about equitable amenity distribution across neighborhoods. Langloy said a basketball court was not in the initial plan but that green space near the courts could accommodate a court via change order at additional cost; the council expressed informal consensus to explore that option and to reach out to the adjacent homeowner about impacts.
One council member raised transparency concerns tied to the PPP millage campaign and noted a local engineering consultant that performed city design work had made contributions to a ballot committee; staff explained the city issued an RFP for engineering services in 2024 and awarded dual engineering contracts to HRC and Spalding DeDecker at approved rates. The council emphasized public disclosures had been filed and that procurement proceeded under the city's existing policies.
The motion to award the construction contract passed 6–1.
Next steps include finalizing the construction contract, scheduling preconstruction meetings, and pursuing grant funding for bridge/connectivity elements. The parks director said construction staging will address restoration standards and that the city will continue resident outreach as construction progresses.
