Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks Recreation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council advances Feder's Alley destination playground plan amid maintenance and resident-access concerns
Summary
Council took first-reading action on an appropriation for the Feder's Alley destination playground, a fully accessible, multigenerational project with $1.5M in external grants; public commenters urged guarantees on maintenance, restrooms and whether the site will remain open to nonresidents.
Council members and parks staff described the Feder's Alley destination playground as an inclusive, multigenerational project that would use federal and philanthropic grants alongside local ARPA and redevelopment funds. Park Superintendent Shannon Een presented a short video and emphasized accessibility features including a second-story wheelchair-accessible tower and an adaptive zipline.
Project backers said the playground would be the first all-inclusive facility in the region and would be bid in spring to protect $1.5 million in existing grant commitments. The parks superintendent said the council's $600,000 request would be "last in" to cover any funding gap once other funders' commitments are applied.
Public commenters raised several concerns during the public-comment period: maintenance capacity (Tommy Kavik and others), restroom and water-service reliability, insurance and safety for zipline features, and long-standing questions about whether Feder's Alley should be reserved exclusively for Michigan City residents. Park supporters said the playground will be open to all, prioritize accessible facilities (including adult changing stations) and include infrastructure to reduce vandalism and maintenance burdens. Councilmembers added co-sponsorships and expressed broad support for moving the project forward to a second reading.
The ordinance for an appropriation related to the playground remained on first reading to allow further review and final budget details before a second reading and vote.
