The Wayne County Commission has approved a millage grant request for improvements to Affholter Park in Trenton for $52,000, which will be used for match dollars for the city of Trenton’s application to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Recreation Passport Program for park improvements.
Project will redesign dilapidated areas, improve accessibility, parking
By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
TRENTON – Affholter Park received a Wayne County Millage Grant, which provides the matching funds needed to apply for state funding to redesign dilapidated areas and improve the parking lot and accessibility.
Parks and Recreation Director Joann Gonyea announced at the March 30 Trenton City Council online meeting that, with the help of Wayne County Commissioner Joe Palmara, the Wayne County Commission approved $52,000 to improve the park.
The grant provides the matching funds that will allow the city to apply to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Recreation Passport Program for improvements to Affholter Park. The 16.6-acre park is located east of Pinetree Drive, and accessible from Lodge Lane, which is in the neighborhood north of West Road and west of Grange Road.
The scope of the project includes the redesign of the three existing, dilapidated tennis courts and the adjacent, underutilized inline skating rink. The redesign will include new pickleball and tennis courts, and a multi-purpose area that can accommodate basketball and other court sports.
In addition, the project would improve the accessibility of the existing walkways, provide new fencing, provide court nets and stanchions and signage.
The asphalt parking area, which is in poor repair, would be repaired and resurfaced to improve access as well.
The surface of the existing tennis courts would be resurfaced, filled and sealed, and modified to accommodate both tennis and pickleball.
The surface of the inline skating rink would be upgraded to accommodate both inline skating and basketball, and commercial grade basketball standards and hoops would be installed.
An alternative proposal would be to resurface the existing basketball court on the north end of the park, with the addition of an accessible pathway, in lieu of the conversion of the existing inline skating surface.
With Trenton’s expanding senior population, there has been an increased demand for pickleball courts, a sport which is growing in popularity. Pickleball, which is played on a smaller court, requires less running, while still providing positive cardio-respiratory fitness benefits and lowering blood pressure.
Improvements to Affholter Park also will benefit the soccer and lacrosse programs which use the park.