Title
Resolution Directing the City Administrator to Designate Southeast Area Park as the 2024 Bicentennial Park
Body
Whereas, Southeast Ann Arbor is one of the most socioeconomically, racially and ethnically diverse segments of the city;
Whereas, Eight of the 12 Title I public schools in the city are located in Southeast Ann Arbor;
Whereas, Parks and other city amenities that are well-maintained and inclusive have higher patronization and enjoyment by residents, and improve quality of life indicators for those who frequent them;
Whereas, Southeast Area Park is uniquely positioned to enhance the quality of life for underserved communities, and provide a bridge between those communities and additional city services and amenities;
Whereas, Surrounding social service organizations and housing voucher communities, which primarily serve low-income families and people of color, are nearby and would immensely benefit from additional amenities and programming at Southeast Area Park;
Whereas, Southeast Area Park is located in close proximity to other family-focused and youth-friendly amenities, including Mallet’s Creek Library, Bryant Community Center, Creekside Court Community Center, several housing cooperatives, and Swift Run Dog Park, providing opportunities for future collaboration;
Whereas, Southeast Area Park requires considerable investment in its infrastructure and additional amenities to provide a higher quality and inclusive experience for residents;
Whereas, Investing city resources to improve and develop amenities and programming in Southeast Area Park is in alignment with our overarching Bicentennial goal to invest in and improve accessibility for historically disenfranchised and marginalized communities in our city;
Whereas, Additional amenities and city programming at Southeast Area Park will benefit needed economic development in the southeast area and transform Southeast Area Park into a premier destination on the city’s southeast side;
Whereas, Due to its geographic location along two major roadways on the southeast border of the city, and its proximity to public transit, Southeast Area Park is uniquely positioned to serve as a highly visible, welcoming and inclusive gateway into the City of Ann Arbor; and
Whereas, City Council and the City Administrator acknowledge that raising significant capital improvement funds from private donors is essential to develop new amenities at Southeast Area Park, increase staff capacity to manage the park and maintenance of any investments made to the park;
RESOLVED, Southeast Area Park will serve as the future designation of Ann Arbor’s Bicentennial Park;
RESOLVED, The City Council directs the City Administrator to pursue all reasonable efforts to designate Southeast Area Park as our future Bicentennial Park;
RESOLVED, Any budget expenditure intended for the development and implementation of a Bicentennial Park shall be expended in pursuit of achieving this goal at Southeast Area Park; and
RESOLVED, The City Council and the City Administrator shall pursue all reasonable efforts to fundraise private dollars to create and sustain improvements to Southeast Area Park from this point forward.
Sponsored by: Councilmembers Ghazi Edwin, Radina, Harrison, Watson, Disch and Eyer