MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, MICHIGAN - In the March 9th virtual Park Commission meeting for Meridian Township, a potential new Towner Road Park plan was revealed. The park is over 20 acres with a paved walking path, two baseball diamonds, and pickleball courts. The one thing that LuAnn Maisner, Director of Parks and Recreation, and Jane Greenway, Parks and Land Management Coordinator, thought was missing for this park is a play structure.

Maisner and Greenway proposed the idea of building an intergenerational play and exercise space. The goal is to make something geared towards older people and create a separate smaller structure for the younger kids. The area that is being looked at to install these structures is 75x75 feet, with poured-in-place rubber surfacing. Poured in place surfacing is wheelchair accessible, so there would be equipment that would allow wheelchairs to use them.

“We want to do something different than we have at any other park. So we were just kind of talking about is there a way that we could have our traditional play for the smaller little ones, but then also something that is a little more challenging for all age groups,” said Maisner.

This project is expensive, and the poured in place surfacing itself totals up to about 150,000. However, there are positives to it, as it could have designs, colors, and the equipment all on top of it. The maintenance is also minimal compared to the engineered wood fiber in most parks, and the warranty is 15 years.

For more information on Towner Road Park, visit the link below.