Allmendinger Park in Ann Arbor was in the news in early August 2021, when the city announced the removal of a tree that was posing a risk to its visitors. The parks department deemed it necessary to take down the tree, but it had an innovative plan in place to reuse the cut-up tree limbs. It incorporated the old tree into the playground renovation project underway, transforming it into an extraordinary play feature. A little over a month later, the project is complete, and the new playground is open. This article is a deep dive into the project to understand how the city’s parks department found a way to breathe new life into a once-hazardous tree.
The long-abandoned tree was found to be “in poor health” and was marked for urgent removal. However, rather than discard the tree, the City of Ann Arbor chose to creatively reuse it as an outsized, natural play feature. Following a month of hard work, the shimmery, woodland-themed playscape at Allmendinger Park off Pauline Boulevard now features a robust boulder mountain, a log crawl tunnel, tightrope walks, and the highly-desired stacked tree limbs open for climbing, among other features.
The natural design elements added to the park’s playground have been successful. The parks department has proven that incorporating natural play elements into playground designs is a great approach that results in features that are not only enjoyable for kids and their parents but also healthy and safe. Natural play elements, as shown in Allmendinger Park, have proven to be more fun and educational than traditional metal playground equipment.
The new play area features provoke children’s imagination and creativity, allowing them to feel the natural textures and materials, explore spaces more organically, and build their sense of balance and movement control. The new playground’s design potentially enhances issues in children’s learning and development, such as gross motor skills, concept development, and even social skills.
The playground renovation project at Allmendinger Park is not the first attempt by the city to add natural play features to its parks. According to park department officials, the community has highly requested more of these elements in other parks located within the city. The city council is pleased with the results so far and hopes they can heighten the parks’ appeal as recreational areas. It is also planning on repaving the pathways connecting to the playground.
In conclusion, Ann Arbor’s innovative approach to revitalizing the old tree and integrating nature into its playground design is both imaginative and forward-thinking. Rather than discarding the tree, the parks department found a way to create an engaging and fulfilling play feature for children. The trend toward incorporating natural design elements in playgrounds is on the upswing, and Allmendinger Park’s success story is a prime example of the benefits of such design principles for the health, safety, and overall enjoyment of park visitors. We applaud the city’s progressive move toward developing playgrounds that align with nature and are a perfect match for children’s evolving needs.
