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Tigers, Red Wings & DTE team up for $50K donation to enhance Detroit youth sports facilities

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Posted at 9:11 AM, Apr 22, 2021
and last updated 2021-04-22 09:11:37-04

(WXYZ) — The Detroit Red Wings, Detroit Tigers and DTE announced they are donating $50,000 to enhance Detroit youth sports facilities.

The announcement, in celebration of Earth Day on Thursday, is part of the commitment to ensure Detroit kids have access to sports.

Some of the money will go to the Belle Isle Athletic Complex to install brand-new LED lighting and other enhancements on baseball and softball fields.

Another portion of the donation will go to the East Side Hockey Ice Arena to support upgrades to the 50-year-old transformer.

“We’d like to thank DTE for supporting our commitment to ensuring widespread access to sports for young Detroiters,” Kevin Brown, the director of community impact for the Tigers and Red Wings, said in a release. “We look forward to this summer’s enhancements at Belle Isle Athletic Complex and East Side Hockey Ice Arena, where we can help inspire the next generation of athletes in our great city.”

“Detroit has such a rich sports history, and DTE is excited to add to that heritage today by partnering with the Tigers and Red Wings to update field and arena facilities in which children can play baseball, softball and hockey under bright lights – just like their professional heroes,” John Boladian, director of energy efficiency at DTE, said. “These children are our future college athletes, coaches and leaders. While they are young, we can all pitch-in in our own ways to provide them a with positive environment that will help them physically develop and have fun.”