New playground equipment coming to three city parks in St. Clair Shores

ST. CLAIR SHORES — A trip aboard a pirate ship, a shot at hockeytown and an afternoon in the jungle are all places kids’ imaginations will be able to take them this summer when three new themed playgrounds are constructed in St. Clair Shores parks.

Continuing to update the playground equipment at city parks, St. Clair Shores City Council voted to purchase a $84,774 pirate ship-themed playscape for Lac Sainte Clair Park, 27600 Jefferson Ave.; an $82,180  hockey-themed playscape at Civic Arena, 20000 Stephens Street; and a $75,000 zoo-themed playscape at Frederick Park, on Pallister Street south of Nine Mile Road.

Mayor Kip Walby said March 1 that, with grants also granted for improvements to playgrounds at Brys Park and Kyte Monroe Memorial Park, the city is trying to update all of its parks.

Parks and Recreation Director Henry Bowman said he was excited that the pirate playscape would be located so close to the city pool and marina.

“I think it’s going to be a great fit at Lac Sainte Clair Park,” he said. “I think there’s a lot of great play features here.”

Walby said the new playground equipment is being paid for with funds earned through the sale of foreclosed and rehabilitated houses throughout the city. He said he is happy with how much residents’ quality of life has been improved through the use of the funds.

“This is just really exciting to be able to do this,” said Councilwoman Candice Rusie, a member of the Playground Committee with Councilman Ron Frederick and Bowman. “It is so nice to get some updated equipment ... more compliant equipment with the current regulations. The equipment we’re replacing is very old.”

Bowman said that he hoped the equipment would be installed, at the latest, by early May.

Rusie said she hoped the themes of the playgrounds would make for “an exciting adventure every day” for children in the city.

“I’m so glad kids, this year, will be able to enjoy this,” Rusie said.

Councilman Dave Rubello said the new equipment will be an improvement over what kids played on in the past.

“I was looking at a picture from 1967, and it sure beats the cheese or the turtle we used to get in our grade school days,” he said.

Bowman said he was thrilled to find the hockey-themed structure for Civic Arena, which does not currently have a playground.

“It’s going to be just an outstanding addition to the park,” he said. “I think the kids are absolutely going to love it.”

The playscape will be made to look like hockey equipment belonging to the St. Clair Shores Hockey Association.

“It’s a work of art, too,” Rusie said. “The design is just so dynamic.”

Bowman said parks workers regularly inspect all playground equipment at city parks.

The equipment being replaced at Frederick Park has been around for a long time, Bowman said.

“That playground was probably there when I was a kid,” he joked. “It’s going to be an exciting summer.”

Frederick said the neighbors in the area are excited about the new equipment coming to the park, and he thanked Bowman for all his work to get new structures in the area.

“Henry, I want to thank you, personally, for making sure our kids are safe and they can have a good time,” Frederick said.