Title
Resolution Directing the City Administrator to Develop Recommendations Regarding Veterans Memorial Park
Memorandum
Attached for your consideration and approval is a request directing the City Administrator to develop recommendations regarding current and future needs at Veterans Memorial Park.
Staff
Prepared by: Josh Landefeld, Parks and Recreation Services Manager
Approved by: Derek Delacourt, Community Services Area Administrator
Milton Dohoney Jr., City Administrator
Body
Whereas, City Council recognizes the importance of Veterans Memorial Park to the Ann Arbor community since its initial build in the 1960s;
Whereas, The recently completed Parks & Recreation Assessment Management Plan commissioned by the City of Ann Arbor identified significant investments needed at Veterans Memorial Park to maintain current operations;
Whereas, Veterans Memorial Park, particularly the ice arena, was significantly impacted by the April 15, 2026, tornado, forcing closure of the ice arena for the foreseeable future;
Whereas, City Council believes that before moving forward to address the significant costs of repairing and making improvements to the existing structures at Veterans Memorial Park, information should be gathered to better understand the opportunities, costs, and challenges associated with repairs or reimagining;
Whereas, City Council believes that any consideration of future decisions related to Veterans Memorial Park should be informed by data, feasibility studies, applicable law and permits, public engagement, recreation trends, partner organization input, cost information, and funding opportunities;
Whereas, City Council acknowledges that undertaking this process will keep the ice arena closed while the process is underway; and
Whereas, Staff has confirmed the operations in the north part of Veterans Memorial Park, including recreational softball and baseball, will resume in the spring, when repairs resulting from tornado will be complete;
Whereas, The Park Advisory Commission provides meaningful support in reviewing Parks & Recreation projects, programs, and initiatives, and in making recommendations on those matters to City Council;
RESOLVED, That the City Administrator is directed to investigate and develop recommendations regarding Veterans Memorial Park;
RESOLVED, That the City Administrator shall identify relevant regional, county, and state recreation management entities, as well as local organizations that have historically used the Veterans Memorial Park assets and facilities to help identify opportunities and determine what, if any, partnership opportunities may be available;
RESOLVED, That the City Administrator’s recommendations should address:
- A strategic analysis of potential options for maintaining, replacing, improving or revisioning assets at Veterans Memorial Park, including their feasibility, effectiveness, limitations, costs, potential funding sources and impacts on existing City programs, staffing, operations, and future budgetary commitments;
- Impact of the closure on local organizations based on recent use of the park;
- Applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and permitting requirements for any of the potential options for maintaining, replacing, improving, or revisioning assets;
- Assessment of current industry trends in parks and recreation and their relevance to the strategic analysis;
- A holistic understanding of the economic development impact on the community associated with differing uses of each potential option or future scenario; and
- Public notification, community engagement, and transparency.
RESOLVED, That the City Administrator and City staff shall endeavor to complete their review and present their findings and recommendations to the Park Advisory Commission within six months of adoption of this resolution for the Commission’s consideration and input before any final recommendations are developed for City Council;
RESOLVED, That if the review and recommendations are not completed within six months, the City Administrator shall provide a progress update to the Parks Advisory Commission and City Council at that time, including the status of the review and anticipated timeline for completion, and shall present the finds and recommendations to the Park Advisory Commission no later than nine months following the adoption of this resolution.
RESOLVED, That the City Council encourages a strategic analysis of the Veterans Memorial Park to provide the community with a park and park system that is addressing recreational needs for current and future generations; and
RESOLVED, That the City Administrator is authorized to take all appropriate actions to implement this resolution.
Sponsored by: Councilmembers Radina, Briggs, Cornell, Mallek, and Watson