Strong Community Backing Fuels Chelsea’s Park Development

Photo: When life gave them lemons, the kids at Astor Daycare turned them into a donation for Chelsea’s new park. Pictured here is MSPA board member Joe Ziolkowski receiving the check from their earnings. Photo courtesy of MSPA

Chelsea’s Main Street Park Alliance has announced exciting updates for the new city park currently under construction.

Soil Work Completed
The Main Street Park project has cleared a major milestone with the completion of soil environmental remediation, approved by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). Funding for the $2 million effort came from EGLE and the Washtenaw County Brownfield Authority.

The property at 500 S. Main Street, now the future site of Main Street Park, was long an industrial landmark in Chelsea, home to Federal Screw Works from approximately 1919 until 2006. During its nearly nine decades of operations, the facility handled parts cleaning, plating, vapor degreasing, oil salvage, and maintained both above-ground and underground storage tanks for gasoline and oils. Over time, this left the site contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and petroleum-related pollutants in the soil and groundwater, rendering it a brownfield in need of significant remediation, which has thwarted plans by a number of interested developers.

In the next step, crews will bring in 1,296 tons of clean, environmentally tested topsoil to prepare the site for safe recreation. In partnership with the City of Chelsea, a robust planting plan is underway: 17,150 square feet of turf, 155 trees, 26,000 square feet of landscaping, and fieldstone boulders will transform the former factory site into a welcoming green space.

Construction Campaign Update
Support continues to grow. Cleary’s Pub pledged $6,000, the Chelsea Downtown Development Authority committed $50,000, and the Kiwanis Club of Chelsea raised $5,000 through a golf outing. Even the youngest supporters are pitching in. Astor Preschool contributed more than $200 from a lemonade stand. With these gifts, the fundraising effort is now less than $1 million from its goal.

How the Community Can Help
Organizers stress the importance of planting this fall to establish strong roots for trees, turf, and landscaping before the park’s expected summer 2026 opening. Donations can be directed toward trees, turf fields, fieldstone boulders, limestone steps, or landscaping beds.

Save the Date
Serendipity Books will host a fundraising event on Sunday, December 7, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at its new store. Guests are invited to mingle, browse, and support the park’s progress.

Watching the Park Grow
September and October mark a busy phase of construction. A new climbing wall, Michigan’s first outdoor bouldering wall, is complete. Designed by Eldorado Climbing Walls with Viridis Design Group, it offers routes for beginners and advanced climbers alike, with adaptive features for inclusivity.

Next up are large natural stone seating elements, sports courts and fencing, and the start of skate park construction. Parking will also expand downtown with 26 new spaces, and the first course of asphalt is scheduled for this fall. Landscaping will continue until the first frost.

The Main Street Park Alliance encourages residents to follow the project’s progress on Facebook.