Property: Ehinger Park, 315 Chesterfield Parkway, East Lansing

Owner: City of East Lansing

Assessed value: $0

It’s easy to forget how many unique features there are in our communities when you travel the same routes day in and day out. If it isn’t on a main corridor or located right next door to work or home we miss it — out of sight, out of mind.

Ehinger Park is one of those unique features. Deep inside the Chesterfield Hills Neighborhood is this superbly located pocket park — a small park accessible to the public in an urban setting. This one is located on an irregular piece of property at the lowest point in the neighborhood, unsuitable for a house. So, ta da: a pocket park. 

Ehinger Park is really superb because it’s not only centrally located within the neighborhood, but also surrounded by houses with “eyes on the park.” And according to reformist Jane Jacobs, this makes neighborhoods (and parks) safer. 

Everyone has a special place like Ehinger Park where they like to retreat. It may be in your neighborhood or another’s. The question is, what is your Ehinger Park?