Parks Action Pressed

Parks Action Pressed

Ann Arbor officials are seeking relatively rapid action by City Council relative to adopting a list of priority park land purchases with funds from the April bond issue.

The list of park priorities — presented last week to the City Planning Commission — calls for purchase of some 200 acres of land with major emphasis placed on inner-city parks. Planning Commissioners will be studying the administration recommendation concurrently with the council.

Although commission members had suggested a joint meeting with councilmen to discuss the priority list, councilmen did not express favor for such a session last night.

City Administrator Guy C. Larcom Jr. told council he is faced with four “pressing park land acquisitions” which call for immediate attention of the council. The four items listed by Larcom were the Scarlett-Mitchell woods, land at Liberty and Division adjacent to the Kempf house, the Kuebler property at Huron River Dr. and M-14, and the Campbell house and land on Packard surrounded by Buhr Park.

Larcom said the priority position of the various acquisitions may change depending upon costs. He and Parks Department Supt. George Owers said the greatest need is for central-city parks, and the priority list includes purchase of three parcels for an estimated $695,000.

Some councilmen questioned the spending of this much money for the three parcels which would not total more than three acres.

Larcom said he would like a decision from council within the next two to four weeks, raising the possibility of a special council session since the council will not be meeting Dec. 27 or Jan. 3.

“I'm loathe to go ahead (and make a decision) without hearing from the Planning Commission first,” said Second Ward Councilman Robert Faber. (The commission is to discuss the priority list next Tuesday night.)

It is not known at this time, Larcom added, what degree of federal and state funding the city can obtain to aid in its park land acquisition endeavors. Under the parks bond issue adopted in 1966, the city received matching funds.

Owers told council the administration has listed four priority areas — active recreation areas, special use areas, simple open space, and greenways.

Mayor Robert J. Harris received assurances from Owers that a certain amount of the dollars available would be spent in each category, that no single category had the commitment of all dollars.

“We would meet needs in all four categories, but not necessarily all the priority items in each category,” Owers said.