FeedsCleaning up
Remediation plan approved for Central City Park
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Mayor Bill Wild said the City of Westland received word that the final obstacle had been cleared and work could begin to clean up Central City Park, which has been closed for more than two years due to concerns about contaminants in the soil.There could soon be more activity at Central City Park in the City of Westland.
Mayor Bill Wild said the city received word that the Michigan Department of Natural Resources had approved the remediation plan required to clean up the park and re-open it to residents.
“It’s great news for us,” said Wild.
“I would characterize this as a major milestone, one we’ve been working toward for years,” added Alan Helmkamp, assistant Wayne County executive.
One of Wild’s first acts in office was to temporarily close the park behind Westland City Hall due to concerns about contaminants in the soil. The park was developed over a former landfill.
He said the city along with Wayne County would work together on the first phase of the remediation of the park.
That phase of the plan concerns about 12 acres of the easternmost portion of it. The dirt will be removed, a liner put down and then covered with 12 inches of new soil.
Eventually, Wild said the plan is to develop soccer fields on the land, along with additional parking and a larger pavilion that would serve, among other things, as a location for a flea market or farmer’s market. Additional pathways are planned to connect up with the existing asphalt and the features recently added to the adjacent Tattan Park as well as a concession and restroom area.
“We want to be able to service everybody,” said Wild. “We want to make it more family-friendly.”
The county has pledged $1.5 million toward the project, said Helmkamp and is in the process of going out for bid on it.
“We’re very hopeful, with the state of the economy, that we can attract some qualified bidders that will fit that budget,” he said.
The approval letter was the final obstacle to the first phase of the remediation process and Wild said he was happy that it was finally in place. He said residents should see work there this year.
“We should be able to start this project as soon as the ground thaws,” he said.
Helmkamp agreed.
“There are some additional ‘t’s‘t to cross and ‘i’s’ to dot, but we’re working very hard to meet that objective,” he said.
