By Lisa Carolin
Remediation of the Main Street Park (MSP) site is scheduled to begin in early October.
That was announced by Chelsea City Manager Marty Colburn at the Sept. 3, Parks and Recreation meeting where MSP presented the near final design of the new park to be built in the former site of Federal Screw Works.
Meetings with a number of stakeholders of all ages in the community have helped with the entire design phase. The design includes a rock climbing wall, a skateboard area suitable for all experience levels, multi-use sports courts, bocce courts, an area for socializing and relaxing, as well as seating, walking paths, a multi-use pavilion, a community hearth, and four family-style bathrooms.
MSP will present the plan to Chelsea City Council at its mid-September meeting.
There were 616 responses to the Chelsea City Master Plan Survey, and members of the Chelsea Parks and Recreation Commission responded to two questions from Michelle Marin of Carlisle/Wortman Associates at the Sept. 3 meeting related to the survey.
The first question was, “What are some of the best aspects of the City of Chelsea as it relates to parks and recreation?” Parks Commission members individually responded with comments such as parks being distributed from one end of the city to the other, some parks offering activities for all ages, options at parks such as gardens, pickleball courts, and trailheads, and the involvement of both the community and the city in maintaining, supporting, and adding to the parks.
The second question was, “What are some of the challenges of developing or navigating parks and recreation facilities?” Commission members responded with the city being landlocked and needing to reach out to the townships to expand parks, the desire for more natural areas, and the fact that M-52 provides a barrier from navigating from one park to another.
There was a reminder that anyone interested in ordering pickets as part of the fundraiser for TimberTown, can do so at https://www.timbertownchelsea.org/pickets. Any orders made by Sept. 30 will be installed during November of this year.
The Parks Commission approved a request from the community to place a memorial bench at TimberTown near the pickle ball courts.
It was reported that on Saturday, Sept.14, All Stars sport team members will be coming to all of the city’s parks to wash the picnic tables and mulch at Pierce Park.
The parks commission meets next on Oct. 1 at 9 a.m.
