Parks & Recreation Department to Award Bid Contract for Inclusive Park at August City Council Meeting

Media contacts: Theresa McArleton, Parks and Recreation Director; 248-658-3479; tmcarleton@berkleymich.net

Torri Mathes, Community Engagement Officer; 248-763-7557; tmathes@berkleymich.net 

Berkley, MI – July 28, 2022 – The Parks & Recreation Department will be awarding the bid contract for the Jaycee Park reconstruction to an inclusive park and playscape at the upcoming Berkley city council meeting next month. 

Jaycee Park is a 2.7-acre park located between Bacon and Phillips that serves a wide and diverse population beyond the Berkley community. Including residents from Royal Oak, Southfield, Oak Park, Beverly Hills, and Huntington Woods, all less than five minutes away. 

This premier recreation spot is set to become an all-inclusive playground and playscape that will go beyond the standard ADA accessibility requirements to meet a variety of needs and interests. The space will be sensory-rich and enable children to develop physically, socially, and emotionally. It will also allow adults of varying ages and abilities to actively engage with children in their care.

Through the Public Spaces Community Places program, the City partnered with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), the Michigan Municipal League (MML), and Patronicity, to host a crowdfunding campaign that saw overwhelming support from various donors. The sponsorship for this playground development set up the City to raise $60,980. Those funds were then matched with an additional $50,000 from the MEDC program, making an approximate donation total of $110,00 for the project. Combined with the capital funding already budgeted for the park's reconstruction, this gives the City around $490,000 to develop a truly unique, large-scale, and accessible playground. 

The Berkley city council is set to review the proposed bid at the August 8, 2022, public meeting. 

For full project details on the park plans, please visit patronicity.com/jayceepark and www.berkleymich.org/inclusiveplay.