Title
Resolution to Commit $304,500.00 in Local Matching Funds for Improvements at Clinton Park if Awarded an MDNR 2025 Recreation Passport Grant
Memorandum
On March 17, 2025, Council approved a resolution (R-25-075) to authorize application to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Grants Management’s (MDNRGM) Recreation Passport Grant for accessibility and sustainability improvements to Clinton Park. Staff applied to the grant on April 1, 2025. The grant application is now moving forward in the review process, and staff have obtained a detailed cost estimate. This resolution commits $304,500.00 to the project as local matching funds for the grant.
Grant Description: The Recreation Passport fund is a State grant administered by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. PA 32 of 2010 created the Local Public Recreation Facilities Fund to be used for the development of public recreation facilities for local units of government. Money for this fund is derived from the sale of the Recreation Passport which replaces the resident Motor Vehicle Permit (MVP) - or window sticker - for state park entrance. After $14,285,400.00 is set aside for lost revenue and Secretary of State administration, ten percent of remaining revenue is used to fund the Recreation Passport local grant program. Grant amounts range from $7,500.00 to $150,000.00 and require a 25% match of total project cost from local funds. There is no federal money associated with this grant.
Background: Clinton Park is a 4.82-acre park located in the southeastern region of Ann Arbor. The park contains many amenities including a playground, basketball courts, tennis courts, softball and soccer fields, and a small sledding hill. The park is also home to one of the City's “Champion Trees,” a white fir that is the largest of its species in the City.
The southeastern region of Ann Arbor is an area that is characterized by higher racial diversity and lower median incomes. The park is in a residential neighborhood, adjacent to both single-family homes and within short walking distance of several apartment complexes. The park shares a boundary with the Jewish Community Center, whose members and staff often utilize the park and its playground.
The playground in Clinton Park, built in 1998, is now reaching the end of its 30-year life cycle.
In the 2023-2027 PROS Plan public survey, “replacing older playgrounds” received the highest level of support from respondents when rating park improvement spending options. Additionally, the City is currently undergoing an ADA Accessibility Transition Plan and has made a commitment to improving accessibility across the park system. The City of Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation Unit undertook an ADA assessment in 2022, which identified several areas of necessary upgrades in the park.
The proposed project would address these two issues by combining replacement of and upgrades to the play area and equipment with improvements that will enhance the accessibility of the playground and surrounding walks.
A community engagement meeting regarding Clinton Park’s playground renovation was held in 2023. A Clinton Park Playground Renovation survey was open for approximately four weeks from March 31, 2022 to April 21, 2022. It was distributed digitally on SurveyMonkey, and promoted through physical mailers, GovDelivery, and social media channels, such as Facebook. The survey received 74 total responses.
Project Description: The preliminary concept for improving Clinton Park includes:
• Replacement of the existing playground with new equipment that meets ADA requirements, including the addition of several universal design play features
• Bringing the access pathway to the playground up to ADA compliance
• Reconfiguration of the parking area to arrange for a van accessible parking spot and addition of an accessible route of travel from the parking lot to the sidewalk
• Addition of shade trees, benches, and picnic tables
The new playground’s concept design will be inspired by the results of the survey conducted in 2022. The community’s primary requests were for a wider variety of play equipment for all ages and physical abilities and the inclusion of natural play elements. An additional public engagement meeting about the project will be held before submission of the grant application.
Budget/Fiscal Impact: Staff applied for the maximum Recreation Passport Grant award of $150,000.00 which would ease the burden of the total construction cost of the playground. Additional funding beyond the Recreation Passport Grant award amount would be drawn from a combination of fund balance and the approved Park Maintenance and Capital Improvement budget for the relevant year.
In the March 17, 2025 memo, staff described an estimated maximum project cost of $500,000.00. A more detailed cost estimate has since been created:
1. Demolition - Includes orange snow fencing around work site, demo of entire playgrounds, concrete table pad & asphalt path removal = $49,900.00
2. Site Prep - Includes surveying, SESC Measures, site grading and bringing in fill dirt to achieve desired subgrades. Does not include grading of 4”-thick concrete access pathways and 6”-thick ADA Parking Area as those are shown below. = $46,400.00
3. 4” Concrete access pathway to playground and 4” access pathway to baseball field (5,157 SF) - Includes excavation, concrete and aggregate base = $64,900.00
4. 6” ADA Concrete parking area - Includes excavation, concrete, aggregate base, paint striping and ADA signage (1,290 SF) = $21,100.00
5. Dumor Bench - Includes one bench = $2,600.00
6. Dumor Tables - Includes (2) ADA 3-seat Tables and (2) 4-seat tables = $19,800.00
7. Playground Equipment - Includes supplying and installing all playground equipment inclusive of all Robinia logs & boulders shown on plan = $157,150.00
a. + $8,500.00 for musical equipment = $165,650.00 TOTAL
8. Drinking Fountain - Includes replacing the existing fountain with an MDF 440 SMSSFA ADA Drinking Fountain and connect to existing piping = $8,500.00
9. Playground Surfacing - Includes all engineered wood fiber and synthetic turf areas (and 4” stone base under turf). = $56,150.00
10. Trees - Includes supplying and planting the (2) shade trees = $3,700.00
11. Restoration/Clean-up - Includes clean-up activities and providing topsoil, seed and mulch to disturbed areas = $15,800.00
TOTAL PROJECT COSTS = $454,500.00
With the potential grant covering $150,000.00, the funds required from the City would be $304,500.00.
Staff
Prepared by: Rosie Pahl Donaldson, Land Acquisition Supervisor
Laurie Tabachnick, Assistant Parks Planner
Reviewed by: Derek Delacourt, Community Services Area Administrator
Josh Landefeld, Parks & Recreation Services Manager
Approved by: Milton Dohoney, Jr., City Administrator
Body
Whereas, Clinton Park is a popular park with a variety of amenities, situated on the southeast edge of Ann Arbor;
Whereas, Clinton Park’s playground area is reaching the end of its lifespan;
Whereas, The 2023-2027 PROS Plan and 2023 Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation ADA Transition Plan support replacing playgrounds and improving accessibility;
Whereas, Grants are available through the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Grants Management to assist in funding improvements such as this project;
Whereas, A Recreation Passport Grant would significantly ease the cost burden of the park improvements and the City commitment to the project is $304,500 with funding to be drawn from a combination of fund balance and approved Park Maintenance and Capital Improvement budget at the time of the project; and
Whereas, The City’s grant application is now in a later stage of review, and requires a resolution committing grant matching funds of up to $304,500;
RESOLVED, That City Council directs the City Administrator to continue application to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Grants Management’s Recreation Passport Grant for playground replacement, accessibility upgrades, and other park improvements at Clinton Park;
RESOLVED, The City Council authorizes and confirms that $304,500.00 is available in the Park Maintenance and Capital Improvement Fund to be committed as local match if the grant is awarded; and
RESOLVED, That the City Administrator is authorized to take all appropriate action to implement this resolution, including execution of all documents required for or incidental to the application process.