YPSILANTI, MI — Some new features may be coming to two parks on Ypsilanti’s west side and the city wants public input.
An increase in severe storms prompted Ypsilanti to consider adding rain gardens or other green infrastructure to better manage rainwater at the parks, Public Services Director Bonnie Wessler said previously.
Ypsilanti leaders have proposed a rain garden for Recreation Park at 1117 S. Congress St. and a native wildflower prairie for Candy Cane Park at 802 Courtland St.
The city is hosting informational meetings on Wednesday, Sept. 18, where residents can learn about the projects and give input on what changes they would like to see and stormwater issues they’ve noticed.
The hour-long meetings will be held at the Ypsilanti Senior Center at 1015 N. Congress St. at 6 p.m. for Candy Cane Park and 7:30 p.m. for Recreation Park in collaboration with the Washtenaw County Water Resources Commissioner’s Office.
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Rain gardens use plants and soil to absorb water and collect sediment that could otherwise close drains and pipes. A typical rain garden captures 600 gallons of water from one inch of rainfall, according to the county.
In Candy Cane Park, site testing by the city and the Water Resources Commissioner’s Office indicated a native prairie and tree plantings may be a better fit due to high groundwater levels.
“With the recent uptick in severe storms, we wanted to improve how we managed rainwater in these parks, and looking at green infrastructure solutions seemed like the right choice,” Wessler said.
Severe rainstorms are becoming more common in Michigan as the earth warms, experts say.
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The two parks have areas of lawn that tend to hold water after rainfall, making maintenance challenging, Wessler previously said. She said the goal is to manage rainwater naturally and keep local waterways like the Huron River clean.
Local landscape architects at InSite Design Studio will complete the designs using a grant the office received from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Wessler said.
The Water Resources Commissioner’s Office’s has helped other municipalities throughout the county create rain gardens, including in Ypsilanti Township where there are several rain gardens at Apple Ride Park, the CommUNITY Skatepark, in Loonfeather Park, along Harris Road and most recently at Sugarbrook Park.
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