After some initial pushback, the largest park in Milan City should see more than $1 million dollars in upgrades this fall, including new pickleball courts, a new basketball court, an additional playground, a zip line, permanent bathrooms and shaded seating near the existing splash pad.
The city plans to start work after this summer’s fair is complete and hopes for a completion date of Nov. 15, 2025.
Milan City Council accepted two bids at its Feb. 18 meeting, recently obtained approval from the Department of Natural Resources for the site plan, and expects final Department of Natural Resources approval for the playground installation any day, said city administrator Jim Lancaster.
An opportunity
The improvements will be part of the more than $8 million in grants the city has received during the last few years, said Mayor Ed Kolar.
Kolar said the proposed improvements were based on community feedback, especially from some of the seniors who said they’d like more seating and recreation opportunities like pickleball at the park. The city sent in an ambitious request for grant money, expecting at most to get part of what they asked. To their surprise they received the full amount, Kolar said.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Kolar said. “Most of the grants we are competing with all of the towns in Michigan for the money. I don’t think Milan has ever had that [kind of] grant funding, ever.”
Initial controversy
After the city announced the grant awarded for the project, public outcry erupted online from those concerned the changes would interfere with cherished traditions, including the Milan Fair and sledding on the hill by Milan Children’s Preschool.
“Arguing with the fair board was very unfortunate,” Kolar said. “We did not see that coming. We had been working to get grant funding. We worked extremely hard.”
Peacemaking
Matthew Belford, president of the Milan Fair Board, said initially the proposed locations of the new basketball court, bathrooms, and all the fitness stations were located in the main field area needed for the fair. Belford said they talked to the city manager and found out the layout was just a proposal for the grant.
“Nothing was set in stone at that time,” Belford said. “We let him know our concerns and met with Parks & Rec, and I met with Mayor Kolar. After many weeks of work, the city came up with option C which addressed pretty much all our concerns and allowed the city to make full use of the grant.”
“We tried to be sympathetic with everyone,” Kolar said. “We stepped back and said, ‘Do we want the grant?’ and everyone said we’d be dumb not to take free money.”
Kolar said they moved some items around, made arrangements for some offsite parking for the fair by Gump Lake – right off of Dexter and East Main – to reduce the footprint in the park and allowed for limited once-a-year camping for some fair employees.
Belford said they are pleased with the final plan.
“We are happy and can definitely make the fair work within the main field. The entertainment tent will continue to be at the old basketball court (new pickleball [court]),” he said.
At the 2024 fair, children laugh as they enjoy the rides. By adding some off-site parking for fair vehicles by Gump Lake, the city minimized the fair’s future footprint to allow for it to continue in place with planned upgrades.
The sledding hill
As the Parks and Rec committee discussed alternative options, they also discussed the impact on the sledding hill, said Community Engagement and Parks and Recreation Director Jill Tewsley. The new basketball court will still be at the bottom, but the city moved it a little farther out to provide more room for sledding. In addition, since the area is a flood zone they were not allowed to put a fence around the basketball courts.
“It was important to all involved in those conversations that the sledding hill not be impacted,” Tewsley said. “There will be no fences around the court …. Given that the court is further out than the existing tree line, the hill by the preschool will still be a great place for people to sled.”
Choosing contractors
The city will pay $625,842 to have AAA Underground complete the hardscaping and $350,000 to Penchura to install a new large play structure to the north of the existing splash pad. There were three bids for each of the two parts of the project.
The bid from AAA Underground was the low bid, but Penchura’s bid was the highest. The city’s engineers, OHM Advisors out of Ann Arbor, said they checked references and felt that Penchura was the best pick since the cost difference was minimal; they provided the current equipment at Wilson Park, which has held up well; and they manufacture their own replacement parts which is better for longevity.
Milan City park improvements will include shaded seating near the splash pad.
Three grants
Both of those projects will come from the $954,500 SPARKS grant through the Department of Natural Resources for the playground equipment, park upgrades and new hardscaping.
In addition, a separate $10,000 grant from The Community Tourism Action Plan will pay for the shade canopies to go over seating near the spray pad.
A third grant, a $663,326 TAP grant from the SEMCOG, Southeast Michigan Council of Governments‘ Transportation Alternatives Program for shared-use paths and sidewalk modernization, will be used in part to re-do the trail that runs from Milan Children’s Preschool to the Fire Station.
A happy ending?
“I think it worked out,” Kolar said. “The bickering stopped. We’re going forward with all the improvements. It’s going to be the best Wilson Park ever. There will be a lot more for people to do…. The fair will go on. There will be plenty of space for fireworks.”
8123 Main St Suite 200 Dexter, MI 48130
