A series of rain gardens is planned for Arbor Oaks Park on Ann Arbor's southeast side, and city officials say it should improve management of stormwater runoff that enters the park.
The existing layout of Arbor Oaks Park, which contains a play area, basketball court, pathways, picnic tables, benches, shade trellis and open field area.
City of Ann Arbor
Arbor Oaks is a neighborhood park located near Bryant Elementary School and the Bryant Community Center, southeast of Interstate 94 and Stone School Road.
The park contains a play area, basketball court, pathways, picnic tables, benches, a shade trellis, and an open field area.
The project involves regrading a portion of the park to accommodate the installation of a series of rain gardens, which are designed to detain and infiltrate rain from storms.
To ensure drainage to the rain gardens from a large open area within the park, and to make the area usable for neighborhood residents, soil will be placed to raise the elevation of the open area, according to Nichole Woodward, a utilities engineer in the city's field operations unit.
City officials said the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality is helping with financing the project through a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency revolving fund. The project is eligible for up to 50 percent loan forgiveness for water quality improvement construction costs.
The total budget for the project is $164,925, which includes a contingency in the amount of $15,000 for change orders to be approved by the city administrator.
Funds for the project are being advanced from the city's approved stormwater capital budget pending reimbursement from the EPA's revolving fund.
The debt service for the loan repayment — less 50 percent loan forgiveness — is budgeted in the city's approved stormwater operations and maintenance budget.
Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529. You also can follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's email newsletters.