Southfield Parks & Recreation Department announces the opening of the improved picnic area and ADA ramp at the Beech Woods Recreation Center. Open to the public beginning in the Spring 2021, this work was made possible thanks to a grant from Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR).

In 2015, the city of Southfield was awarded a $45,000 Michigan Recreation Passport Grant from MDNR with a required 25 percent match of $15,000 from the City for the Beech Woods Recreation Center Group Picnic Area Project. The Beech Woods Recreation Center patio is accessed from the lower level of recreation center and is often used for large group picnics such as the Rouge River Clean-Up, neighborhood association picnics, and as a lunch and activity area for department day camps. The patio was not accessible as the original ramp which lead from the main floor of the recreation center needed repair. This project allowed the City to repair the ramp making it compliant with ADA standards. All participants coming to an event can now safely access the patio area.

Enhancements outside the Beech Woods Recreation Center were completed to coincide and complement the indoor renovation project. Improvements included the purchase and installation of the following ADA accessible furnishings for the patio area and along the ADA ramp:

• 3 benches alongside the ADA ramp;
• 6 picnic tables;
• 4 trash bins; and
• 5 benches on the patio/picnic area.

The new site furnishings require less maintenance and repair while reducing costs and time spent by staff. All furnishings were bid out and awarded to Michigan based company, Landscape Forms. “The improvements to the patio area are a beautiful addition to the Beech Woods Recreation Center,” remarked Terry Fields, Parks and Recreation Director. “We are sure that residents will enjoy and appreciate the area for many years to come and we thank the Michigan Department of Natural Resources for helping make this project a reality.”

The Michigan Recreation Passport Grant utilizes funds raised through the sale of the annual Recreation Passport to provide funding for local park improvements around the state. The pass can be purchased through the Secretary of State with a license plate registration for $12.The passport sticker is required for vehicle entry into state parks and recreation areas, state boat launches, state forest campgrounds and state trail parking lots.

For more information, visit online at www.cityofsouthfield.com or call Chris Riley, Parks & Recreation Athletic Programmer, at (248) 796-4672.