Remediation of Westland’s Central City Park is nearly complete, so plans to make the park into a community attraction are moving forward.
A $15,480 contract for design services with city engineers Orchard, Hiltz and McCliment was recently approved by the council. OHM had already done some engineering work for the site which was cleared, regraded and seeded as part of the environmental remediation project.
The contract calls for OHM to develop conceptual site plans for the Farmers Market Plaza, concession stand, athletic fields and the Veterans Memorial Garden in Central City Park along with adjoining Tattan Park, where Play Planet and H2O Zone are located.
The planned project includes construction of six state-of-the-art soccer fields, a restroom facility, three picnic shelters and a plaza area for special events, including the Farmers Market. The concrete plaza area would consist of an amphitheater and a custom design shelter covering the majority of the plaza area.
“There is a lot of work, we need design work that includes the pavilions, the styles of the benches and picnic tables,” said Westland Parks and Recreation Director Robert Kosowski. “This time the work is nuts and bolts.”
The plans call for picnic structures to be added to Tattan Park, bleachers, benches and goals for the soccer field, pavers, benches, picnic tables and other amenities for the concession stand. Along with structures and what are called site furnishings, OHM would also prepare preliminary landscape plans for the park.
OHM is to work with the Westland Veterans Association, which already has a design for the Veterans Memorial Garden, and the city to reach a consensus for that part of the development.
This design work is being funded from proceeds from the Westland Wild Wings charity hockey game which earmarked money raised for improvements at Central City Park.
The council has also approved the city’s grant application to seek funding from the Department of Natural Resources for improvements to the park for a $500,000 project — $200,000 provided as a local match.
Construction at Central City Park had included clearing the 12-acre eastern part of the site along the east side of Carlson. The park was regraded, then covered with a geotextile membrane and 10-15 inches of top soil. Along with passive measures dealing with methane gas, the work is part of efforts to remediate long-standing lead and other contamination in the eastern portion of park.
Wayne County is funding the $2.5 million project for the 12 acres on the east side of the park, but remediation for the other approximately 21 acres was cost-prohibitive. As a result, that area will be restricted for the foreseeable future.
A new sidewalk has been installed along the east side of the park on Carlson along with a 200-space parking lot, new curbs and two entrances and exits which don’t cross the park walking path.
Exactly when the park, closed since 2006, will reopen hasn’t been determined.
lrogers@hometownlife.com (313) 222-5428
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