Main Street Park Alliance Completes Environmental Remediation! We are getting closer, but still need your financial support to complete the Park!
On June 3, the last truckload of soil was removed from the Main Street Park site, marking a significant milestone in our park development journey. This environmental remediation, which involved removing 31,191 tons of soil to a non-hazardous municipal landfill, is a crucial step toward creating a safe and enjoyable park for our community.
Once filled, this will provide a clean four-foot soil cap across the entire property, and construction will begin. The environmental cleanup represents a $2 million investment in a cleaner and healthier community!
Construction has begun: In conjunction with soil removal, the team installed an extensive stormwater retention system, and the north retaining wall was constructed. Over the summer, expect to see incredible progress as the following elements are being constructed:
Pavilion and restroom
Bouldering wall
Terraced rock wall and seating
Sports courts
Swinging benches
155 Trees and 26,000 square feet of plantings
17,000 square feet of Green Space
Skatepark
We are on track to complete the construction in the spring of 2026!!
Fundraising Continues to Build the Park! We still need to raise $1 million to complete the park with all the planned features and amenities.
With remediation complete, NOW is the time to consider donating to the park. In the spirit of Field of Dreams, we believe that if we build it, the money will come. We are grateful to our local business community for finding creative ways to help us close our funding gap:
We are still counting pennies; our Penny Drive total has now reached $4,198.75! Thank you, Chelsea State Bank, for all your help!
A HUGE Thank You to our recent donors:
Theresa Alafita, Sara Bachman, Sam Baushke, Susan Beecher, Jan Bernath, Martine Blogin, Luanne Booth, Charles Budd, James Burkel, Jaime Calderone, Sharon Castle, Debra Ceccato, Martin Colburn, Anne Colone, Craig & Donna Common, Patrick Conlin, Michael Deis, Robert DeLand, Karla Demea, Chris Dietel, Ted & Jordan Dunham, Christine & Randall Forsch, Benjamin Goldman, Glen Graessley, Kathleen Griffiths, Amy & Mark Heydlauff, Brian Hickey, Maggie Jennings, Mary Keaton, James Kleanthous in Memory of Dr Costas & Sylvia Kleanthous, William Klemm, Catherine Krayer, Eric Krueger, Virginia Krueger, Mats Lonnemo, Nik Lulgjuraj, Stephanie Machinaki, Richard Mains, Rosemary Manitz, Alison Mann, John Mann, Michael Marcovitz, Marjorie Mastie, Brian & Carol McLaughlin, Tim & Anne Merkel, Von Miller, Patrick Oates, Kathy & Jan Pantolin, Pamela Parkinson, Bill Personke, Shawn Personke, Denise Peyser, Pamela Jorgensen Powell, Stephanie Priess, Joseph Redding, Wendy Reinhardt, Rob Riemenschneider, Theodore Schork, Michael Steklac, Carol Strahler, Felix Stump, Catherine Timberlake, Tim Treado, Jean & Lisa Vargas, Jack Wagoner, Mary Wallace, LeeRoy & Monique Wells, Norman & Sally Wetzel, Kimberly Whitfield, Dawn & Jeff Williams, Patrick Young, Carole & Gary Zenz, and Ann Ziolkowski
Building the park is a testament to our community's collective effort. The elements being constructed this summer and fall were directly influenced by your feedback. Our focus groups, which included teens, tweens, senior residents, advocates for individuals with disabilities, and near neighbors, played a crucial role in shaping the park's design. This is truly a community-driven process.
Donors who give $5,000 will be recognized on a permanent donor wall in the welcome plaza.
American Ramp Company (ARC) has been awarded the skatepark construction contract, scheduled to begin in September. American Ramp Company, founded in 1998 in Joplin, Missouri, is a skater-owned and operated firm specializing in the design and construction of modular and in-ground skateparks, bike parks, and pump tracks. With over 3,000 installations across more than 40 countries, ARC believes that communities need challenging and safe places to gather and recreate. Their passion is rooted in action sports, as they are both designers, builders, and participants. Getting people outside and active consistently changes lives- and changing lives changes the world. Let's Build the Park!
Guiding Principles Reflected in Design:
Barrier-free access with a .25 mile accessible pathway
Skate Park and Bouldering reflect unique recreational activities
Multi-use sports court for flexible play space
Sensory instruments adjacent to the active climbing structure
Promenade to allow safe observation of active spaces
Bocce ball to allow our Special Olympic athletes an inclusive play area
Extensive environmental remediation to improve the health, visual appeal, and economic vibrancy of the community
Provide a welcoming gateway to the historic downtown
Upcoming fundraisers include:
The Kiwanis Club of Chelsea golf outing on Friday, June 20, 2025, to support the park. Be sure to hit the links!
The Grateful Crow - Tuesday, August 19, 2025: 10% of all proceeds from their “Dine to Donate” event will be donated to the Park.
Art in the Park!
We will be seeking local creative artists to design a removable mural for the bathroom and storage structure, which will be updated periodically. Watch this newsletter, the MSPA website, and social media for the Call for Artists.
*Proceeds from the merchandise is not a fundraiser. Wear this gear to help us build visual awareness of the Park’s mission.
