Illustration courtesy of GameTime
Pictured is the approved design for the Allen Park playground improvements to Sudman, Church/Teller, and John F. Kennedy Memorial parks.
By GABRIEL GOODWIN
Sunday Times Newspapers
ALLEN PARK — The city is in the final steps to receive funding to revitalize three parks deemed the neediest.
Parks and Recreation Director Carson Smith said a county grant totaling $120,000 is being finalized with Wayne County to upgrade John F. Kennedy Memorial Park, Sudman Park, and Church/Teller Park.
The grant is in its final stages of completion. The contracts still need to be signed by the emergency financial manager and submitted to the county, he said. The city and county have been in talks over the details for the last year. Design and contract procedures accounted for much of the delay but so did the weather.
Each park would receive equal money — $40,000 — to make the necessary improvements to the parks. Smith said the city will not use any of its own money for the project but will aid in some of the removal of soil.
“Unfortunately, we had a wet spring,” Smith said. “So, we had make sure the soil was good and dry before we could make any improvements (to the parks). We have to excavate the soil and replace it with safety mulch to make it much safer for the kids.”
The improvements have not begun yet. When construction starts, these parks still will be available, in some capacity, to residents, he said.
There is no specific timeframe on the completion of the improvements but Smith would like to see construction finished by July or August at the latest. At least, when it’s complete, people would get some time to use the park in its full capacity before the weather becomes an issue again, he said.
“I would like this to be a summertime project,” Smith said. “This is the best time to do everything.”
(Gabriel Goodwin can be reached at [email protected].)