Wednesday, January 19, 2005

Board OKs Booth Park plan

The Birmingham Parks & Recreation Board on Tuesday gave unanimous thumbs up to a revised master plan for Booth Park. The plan, which we'll post as soon as we have it in suitable electronic format, was developed by a community group led by Buzz editor Clinton Baller. It is closely tied to plans for a community built play structure on the site.

The plan, which is proposed to be built in phases, uses several thousand cubic yards of slag that now covers the surface of the park as modeling clay for a sledding hill that doubles as a natural amphitheatre in summer. The hill also provides a buffer between the park and the adjacent neighborhood.

The most immediate phase of the plan includes the hill, an informal skating rink at the base of the hill, and a playground that is integrated into the landscape at the northwest corner of the park. Other features of the first phase include a custom-designed shelter, a natural labyrinth and a series of lawn waves that are to feature custom cast bronze dolphins. The plan calls for rich landscaping and plentiful seating areas.

Future phases include an urban plaza at the corner of Harmon and Old Woodward, an improved and widened sidewalk promenade up Old Woodward, and two bridges over the Rouge River, which flows through the park.

The design was done by James Page and Michael Dul of Michael J. Dul & Associates landscape architects in Birmingham, which has donated a substantial amount of time to the project. The shelter was designed by Birmingham architect Michael Willoughby. Willoughby and fellow Architectural Review Board member Christopher Longe sat on the design committee along with Baller and Planning Board member and urban planner Mark Nickita. The group worked closely with city staffers and city consultant Wade-Trim on the project.

The parks board sent the plan to the City Commission with its endorsement of the design and its recommendation that the city fund the improvement from proceeds of the Parks bond issue and other sources. The cost of the most immediate phase of construction is pegged at around $900,000. Organizers of the community built playground expect to collect some $150,000 in donations to help offset that cost.

We expect to take the design to the City Commission in February. Once approved, detailed construction documents can be prepared which will allow permitting and bidding on the project. Construction could begin as early as October of this year, close on the heels of the reconstruction of Harmon Street.

Speaking of Harmon, the parks board also unanimously recommended Tuesday that the City Commission bury power lines at the east end of Harmon as part of the Harmon street work.

Stay tuned for more.