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Skate park construction activities at Geary Park are planned to begin Monday, April 15th and continue through July 2019. Following is a snapshot of the construction schedule:
April/May: Site Prep & Excavation
May/June: Form Work and Concrete
June/July: Cleanup and Landscaping
During construction of the skate park, the park will remain open and accessible outside of the project area (pavilion, play areas, fields, etc.).
Please note that Phase 1 Park Improvements at Geary Park (walking paths, outdoor fitness equipment, basketball court) are planned to start this summer (July/August).
Ferndale Skate Park Concept Views
The final design for Geary Park is in process, including feedback received from the community following the Community Design Meeting and Open House. We plan to present the final design to City Council for approval on November 13, 2018.
With the changes slated for Geary Park, what is the City doing to address the trees currently located within the park and ensure a healthy green canopy today and into the future?
The City of Ferndale has been a Tree City USA-designated community for more than 15 years, and we pride ourselves on actively working to maintain a healthy urban forest.
Throughout the full Geary Park improvement project (2019's Phase I improvements, skate park, and basketball court, as well as the not-yet-scheduled Phase II improvements), a total of 39 trees will be taken down. Of these, roughly 30% are in critical or poor condition, 60% are in fair condition, and 8% are in good condition, and 2% are not known. A number of these trees are, or will soon be, growing into power lines and are/will soon be at risk of being removed by DTE Energy.
Also as part of this project, the City will be planting/adding a total of 125 trees. The City follows a per-caliper replacement schedule: for example, if a removed tree has a 20-inch caliper, several new trees would have to replace it (for instance, ten 2-inch caliper trees). The new trees have been carefully considered to provide maximum benefit to the area—water retention, potential canopy, and more.
The final design for Wanda is in process, including feedback received from the community following the community survey, meeting, and open house. The final concept design was presented to Council and approved on October 22, 2018.