Council approves Rotary gazebo at Beacon Park; students and grants to help pay for build

Barbara Engel Britson and Jim Split presented the Wayne Rotary Club’s plan to install a gazebo with a peace pole at a city park and asked the council to approve site preparations and construction oversight.

"One of the things Rotary International has been doing is putting peace poles in different parks," Britson said, describing a design that could include multilingual inscriptions and a gazebo built from environmentally friendly materials. The club’s first choice is Beacon Park; Freedom Park and Nebraska Street Park were discussed as alternatives.

Rotary proposed a service-learning partnership with Wayne State College construction management students to assemble the gazebo once materials are sourced; potential funding sources mentioned included a Rotary district service grant ($3,000–$4,000), a small service-learning grant from the college and a possible Wayne Legacy Fund application if the city agreed to partner.

Council and staff focused on technical and liability issues. Staff told the council that the installation would require engineered, stamped plans under building codes unless the council chose to waive that requirement. A council member urged caution on waiving engineering review, noting the long-term liability implications, while others said Timberline or an experienced contractor could provide stamped plans and the city could consider helping with that cost.

The council voted to approve the Rotary Club’s installation at Beacon Park and to have city staff assist with a prepared pad and site layout, with the understanding that required permits and an engineered plan would be addressed before final construction.

The Rotary Club will finalize cost estimates from potential builders, pursue grant funding and coordinate a site visit with city staff and contractor representatives before a final construction schedule is set.