By Lisa Carolin
There was one item on the special meeting agenda of the Chelsea Parks and Recreation Commission on Feb. 27 – a presentation from the Main Street Park Alliance.
Joe Ziolkowski, a member of the MSPA, said that they have been part of robust planning with Veridis Design Group that has included focus groups, open houses, and surveys in which people of all ages in the Chelsea community have participated.
Ziolkowski said that now they have a preferred plan to show the parks commission as well as to show Chelsea City Council at its March 4 meeting, after which they hope to start working on construction documents.
Tim Britain, from the Viridis Design Group, also spoke to Parks Commission members using conceptual drawings to explain the proposed plan. The park will be 2.8 acres with a proposed quarter mile walking path to go around its perimeter. The layout includes an all sports court, a seating terrace and tables, an open pavilion with space for performers, a climbing wall, and sculptural elements that can offer play opportunities. There would also be hammock groves, benches, a sculptural wall plaza, and a rest room.
Native vegetative species and environmentally friendly lighting would all be incorporated.
The estimate for annual operations and maintenance to the park is $100,000.
Once the concept for Main Street Park is approved, the MSPA will start working with the Michigan Department of Transportation on improvements to crossing M-52.
The Parks Commission’s next regular scheduled meeting is on March 5 at 9 a.m.
