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Report On Local Parks Development

Report On Local Parks Development image Report On Local Parks Development image
Parent Issue
Day
30
Month
March
Year
1975
Copyright
Copyright Protected
Rights Held By
Donated by the Ann Arbor News. © The Ann Arbor News.
OCR Text

Development of Leslie Park according to the plan shown below will begin this year. First phase will be rough grading, putting on top soil, final grading, establishment of turf, and possibly some landscaping.
Since the time last fall when cold weather and snow called a halt to the final football game, and even the Frisbee players went indoors, Ann Arbor's parks have "hibernated". Now that spring is coming, though, recreationists are drifting back. On the few warm days we've had so far, small groups could be found there already - playing catch or Frisbee, strolling the dog, or even having an early picnic. Few people think of parks during the winter, but about this time every spring comes not only the urge to get out and use them again, but also questions about what's going to be happening in specific parks this year. We've had a few of these questions already, so we thought we ought to do a roundup on park plans for the coming season. Talking with Supt. George Owers and his assistant, Torn Raynes, we found out about a lot of both major and minor projects listed for this year by the Ann Arbor Parks Dept. One of the larger projects is a new major park - Leslie Park - adjacent to the golf course and Arrowwood Hills coop. Preliminary plans have been shown to the nearby residents, and the plan has teen approved by Planning Commission. If the plan gets final, council approval (and there is every indication that it will), this 25-acre parcel will be started toward development this year. The accompanying map shows what is planned for the area, but this summer will see only a small portion of the plan developed. At present the land is an abandoned gravel pit, and first phase calls for basic land preparation, including rough grading, putting on top soil, final grading, establishment of turf, and possibly some landscaping. This will allow at least informal use of one of the playing fields next year, but development of formal ball diamonds, tennis courts, and the rest of the facilities will be dependent upon future financing. One portion of the final plan, too, is dependent upon another major city project - the extension of Huron Parkway through that area. Plans for the park call for an entrance from Dhu Varren Road until the parkway is completed. After that the road to Dhu Varren will be closed, and the entrance shifted to Huron Parkway. Another major park, this one even less far along in the planning stages, is also getting some preliminary attention this year. This is the sanitary landfill site. Proposals from various consultants are now being analyzed by the Parks Dept. prior to taking them to City Council, who will be asked for approval of concepts, engineering studies, etc. It is not expected that even a final plan can be developed this year. But there's a lot of action proposed for other areas this summer. Argo Park, for instance, will get some major face-lifting around its formal entrance, which is the old power house complex on Broadway. There the lower part of the headrace through the plant will be changed from open water to drain pipes, making it possible to fill in a large expanse of that area for park use, and also to establish hiking and bike trails that will connect Riverside Park below to the Argo Park complex. In addition to the trails and walkways, plans call for building a "water feature" at the point where the raceway will be blocked off, above the power house. This water feature will be a series of concrete ramps, which will spill water from the raceway down to the river. Also to be completed in the same area is a canoe portage from the raceway to the river. Downriver at Gallup Park, work will go on in the area from the old causeway down to Gallup Lake and the new islands in the river, although a major stumbling block has put somewhat of a crimp on plans for use of that area this summer. Cause of concern is a portion of the old Geddes bridge roadway, which fell into the river, leaving a large hole in the deck. The bridge was declared unsafe by an engineering consultant, and the Parks Dept. blocked off the bridge for auto use (although bikes and pedestrians can still use it). This action has been questioned by some, and another estimate of the actual condition of the bridge is planned, but if that also shows that the bridge is unsafe, and cannot be repaired, the Parks Department will have a real problem on its hands, because there is no money left in the budget to build a new bridge. Meanwhile, though, other work already started will continue. Materials for five footbridges connecting the new islands in the river will be delivered in late spring, and Parks is now putting together construction bids to get them erected. It is I hoped they will be in place this summer. The bridges are wooden construction, prefabs from treated Douglas fir, with laminated arches and timber decking. Also slated for completion this summer are the asphalted hike and bike trails along each side cf the river, wood chip trails on the islands, paving of the entrance road and parking lots (both on the causeway and adjacent to Gallup Lake), improvement of the parking lot off Geddes Road, stonework entrance markers, and the boat launching site on the causeway. Approval is being sought to build another boat launch off Geddes, below Huron Parkway, by the Waterways Commission, which will finance the major portion of this launch. And the bikeway from Gallup downriver to Dixboro Rd. is in the process of approval by the state. Construction of this trail could be completed also this year, if state approval comes soon. Upstream at Barton, and the adjoining Bird Hills Park, several other major phases of the final plan will be done this year, although here, too, another road block has been thrown before the wheels of progress. We thought we had finally managed to get access across the railroad tracks for our boat launch and trails, because of the Public Service Commission ruling. But the railroad contested this, at the last minute, and unless we can change their mind the question may have to go to court. So that pretty much frustrates us for this year, and leaves us without proper access to Barton Pond. But we do expect to get the two footbridges across the Huron below the dam and below the Girl Scout property, thus opening up the 55-acre parcel in the oxbow of the river. And the parking lot along Huron River Drive, next to the pumping station, should be improved and expanded this year. And up off Newport, at the one entrance to Bird Hills, the parking lot should be graded and gravelled for use. Hopefully too there will be some trail work done in Bird Hills. Other parks in the system slated for I improvement are: Sugarbush: construction of a neighborhood ball diamond, preliminary grading, landscaping, etc. Stoneybrook: drainage work, installation of playground equipment, landscaping. Huron Highlands: landscaping and play equipment. Garden Homes: finishing touches on the landscaping, possibility of installation of park benches and play equipment. Packard-Arch: JCC's to supervise development of this neighborhood park with cooperation of area residents. South Maple: working on plans for submission to proper agencies and residents. Churchill Downs: plans presented to neighborhood, and now making changes based on testimony. Scheffler Park: replacement of bridge that was removed. Of course there are a lot of minor projects scheduled for most of the parks in the system, but these are the main areas that the Parks Department is concentrating on this year. And they are still waiting recommendations from the Council committee, and a decision by full City Council, on how to spend the rest of the acquisition money left from the last bond issue. It's too bad that Council has delayed this so long, for now that an election is coming up, with the resulting turnover, it will take even more time to reform the committee and get the recommendations in. And pretty soon we are going to have to begin thinking of another parks bond to continue the acquisition and development program. There remains a lot of work to be done on many of our parks, and areas we ought to acquire soon and begin to develop.