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Ann Arbor collects community input for Fuller Park Playground replacement project

Fuller Park Playground in Ann Arbor
City of Ann Arbor
/
a2gov.org
Fuller Park Playground in Ann Arbor

RESOURCES:

City of Ann Arbor Park Planning

Ann Arbor Engagement Hub

Fuller Park Playground Replacement Project and Survey

Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation Open Space (PROS) Plan 2023-2027

Ann Arbor Maintenance and Capital Improvements

TRANSCRIPTION:

Caroline MacGregor: I'm speaking with City of Ann Arbor Assistant Park Planner, Laurie Tabachnick, about the Fuller Park playground, which needs to be replaced. And the city has reached out to the public for input on the design of the new structure. Thank you for joining me today!

City of Ann Arbor Assistant Park Planner Laurie Tabachnick.
Taubman College
/
umich.edu
City of Ann Arbor Assistant Park Planner Laurie Tabachnick.

Laurie Tabachnick: Thank you so much!

Caroline MacGregor: First of all, tell me about this project, if you would.

Laurie Tabachnick: Yeah, of course! So, this project is a full replacement of the playground at Fuller Park. The playground has reached the end of its life cycle, and it was originally built in 1989, which makes it around 35 years old. The project has been on our radar for a while. It was identified in the 2023-2027 Parks and Recreation Open Space, or PROS Plan, as a needed improvement. We're very excited! We know that Fuller Park is a really busy and beloved regional facility, especially in the summer when the pool and summer camp are operating. So, we're excited to be getting to completely update the playground with new equipment for a new generation of kids to enjoy it.

Caroline MacGregor: And you've reached out to the community for their input on what they would like to see included in the park.

Laurie Tabachnick: Yes, that's exactly right. We have a survey out right now hoping to get community feedback on what they'd like to see in their new playground. We have a survey for both adults and for kids because, of course, it's their playground too, so really just in the feedback collection stage where we're just visioning and dreaming about what could be in the future.

Caroline MacGregor: What kind of condition is the current structure at Fuller Park?

Laurie Tabachnick: So, currently, it's holding up, but it is definitely aging and getting older. The wooden structures are kind of a tell-tale sign of age, because we don't really do wooden structures like that anymore. It's definitely time for it to be replaced, but it's not in any dire safety condition or anything like that.

Caroline MacGregor: I noticed that a lot of the Detroit metro parks have some wonderful sort of cushioned surface material that promotes safety for kids. Do you think this could be one of the things that you would look at?

Laurie Tabachnick: Yeah, that is possible. I believe you're referring to poured-in-place, or PIP. That is the most accessible type of playground surfacing, too, for inclusivity. The trade-off is that it's very expensive and very hard to maintain. So, it's always a balancing act to decide what to put in and where, but it is a possibility.

Caroline MacGregor: Does it just not hold up under extreme weather conditions that we see here in Michigan?

Laurie Tabachnick: Exactly. It can peel up kind of quickly and just be hard to keep it looking nice. I am coming from Denver, actually, before I moved to Ann Arbor. And Denver is like extreme heat and dry climate, the poured-in-place just would peel up so quickly. And in Michigan, we have it better, but still climate is always a concern for it.

Caroline MacGregor: That's a pity because it seems so sort of squishy underfoot.

Laurie Tabachnick: Yes. And it's great for accessibility. So, we always want to try to use it, but, yeah, it definitely has some trade-offs. So, everything is kind of on the table right now.

Caroline MacGregor: Okay. So, tell me a bit about these surveys.

Laurie Tabachnick: So, they're planning on being closed on Monday, March 31st, so we still have the weekend to get them in.

Caroline MacGregor: What kind of response have you had to the surveys?

Laurie Tabachnick: It's been amazing so far! We've had over 100 survey responses, which is great, especially because Fuller is a regional facility, so we'd really like to get a large number of our constituents to weigh in. And we've also received a lot of kids' surveys, which has obviously been so fun to see the feedback coming in from a range of kids aged four years old, all the way to 12 years old. So, that's been really great to see!

Caroline MacGregor: That's lovely! Just to think that it's actually.... well, why wouldn't you approach the kids?

Laurie Tabachnick: Exactly!

Caroline MacGregor: Was that through schools or families that it was sent to the survey as far as reaching the children?

Laurie Tabachnick: Yeah, it's just been sent to families. We did a press release through the city and pushed it on our social media. Also, we had the Fuller Day Camp families emailed and told about it as well, so mostly families.

Caroline MacGregor: The project, I believe, will be funded through a gift of $125,000, which was from the University of Michigan. It would be supplemented by the Ann Arbor Park Maintenance and Capital Improvement Millage, approved in 2024 by residents to renew for another 20 years. It will be interesting to know what comes from those.

Laurie Tabachnick: Yes. I'm really looking forward to distilling all the information that we're getting and seeing what priorities rise to the top for our community. We would love more surveys to come in. The survey can be found on a new part of our website created recently to hopefully help to increase engagement, which is called the A2 Engagement Hub. And that can be found at engage.a2gov.org.

Caroline MacGregor: I've been speaking with Laurie Tabachnick, Assistant Park Planner with Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation, about the Fuller Park playground replacement project. Thank you for joining me today!

Laurie Tabachnick: Hey, great! Thanks, Caroline!

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An award winning journalist, Caroline's career has spanned both commercial and public media in addition to writing for several newspapers and working as a television producer. As a broadcaster she has covered breaking stories for NPR and most recently worked as Assistant News Director for West Virginia Public Broadcasting. This year she returned to Michigan to be closer to family.
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