Title IX Plaza on B2B Trail Wins State and National Awards

Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation has announced that the Title IX Plaza located in Dexter, Michigan, has been selected for two recent awards. The first award, given by the Michigan Recreation & Park Association, is the 2025 Landscape Design Award, which celebrates uses of land and interpretative projects. The second award, the 2025 Trails & Corridors Award, was given by the National Association of County Park and Recreation Officials, recognizing excellence in trail and greenway development.

Located along the Border to Border Trail (B2B Trail) in Dexter-Huron Metropark, the Title IX Plaza is a joint project between Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission (WCPARC) and non-profit partner, Huron Waterloo Pathways Initiative (HWPI), which funded the project. The Huron-Clinton Metroparks provided a land easement for WCPARC to construct the plaza along the B2B Trail within the park. The purpose of the Title IX Plaza was to design an interpretive installation along the trail in Washtenaw County that celebrates the importance of Title IX and serves as a source of inspiration and discovery for all trail users.

The plaza, which opened last August, features 17 women with ties to Southeast Michigan. The Plaza honors the impact of Title IX legislation on women’s sports and features the stories of several notable women, including:

• WNBA Player and former Michigan All-American Naz Hillmon
• 1972 Olympian Francie Kraker Goodridge
• Former Michigan Softball Coach Carol Hutchins
• Author Sara Fitzgerald
• Athlete and Advocate Sheryl Szady
• Detroit Lions owner Sheila Ford Hamp
• Attorney and Advocate Jean King
• Former Ann Arbor Greenhill’s Athletic Director Meg Seng
• Leader and Advocate Ramona Cox

Meghan Bonfiglio, Director of Washtenaw County Parks, is a key visionary for the women-led project.

“Receiving these awards emphasize our goal of telling the incredible stories of so many women trailblazers,” she said. She explains that the Title IX legislation was part of the Education Amendments of 1972. “It was just 37 words—with no mention of sports. Prior to Title IX, very few schools offered teams for girls and women, leaving half of the population unable to compete,” Bonfiglio added.

Bonfiglio shared the design criteria for the Plaza, stating that, “In developing the Plaza, we wanted a space that is both experiential and visual as well as complementary to the natural surroundings of the park. It’s also imperative to have equitable access to recreation and nature by providing a meaningful experience for everyone regardless of ability. We encourage folks of all ages to visit the Plaza the next time they are on the trail or in Dexter-Huron Metropark. It’s a fascinating installation!”

Interested in learning more about the Title IX Plaza? Visit the Plaza at the Dexter-Huron Metropark located at 6535 Huron River Drive, Dexter. Additional details and participant profiles can be found on the B2B Trail website at b2btrail.org.

Photos courtesy of WCPARC