The following was emailed September 17, 2021 by Harry Sheehan, Chief Deputy of Washtenaw County Water Resources, with a status update on the Churchill Downs Park Stormwater Basin project.
For more information, this is the City page for Churchill Downs park:
https://www.a2gov.org/departments/Parks-Recreation/parks-places/Pages/ChurchillDowns.aspx
This is the Washtenaw County’s website page with more information about the stormwater basin project : https://www.washtenaw.org/3237/Churchill-Downs-Park-Stormwater-Basin
For questions, please contact Harry Sheehan, Chief Deputy Water Resources Commissioner for Washtenaw County (sheehanh@washtenaw.org)
I previously posted about this project:
https://www.a2elnel.com/post/churchill-downs-park-stormwater-basin-zoom-meeting-aug-12th
https://www.a2elnel.com/post/churchill-downs-park-stormwater-basin-project-walkthrough-sept-24th
https://www.a2elnel.com/post/churchill-downs-park-stormwater-basin-zoom-meetings-mar-4th
https://www.a2elnel.com/post/churchill-downs-park-stormwater-basin-update-july-7-2021
Churchill Park neighbors,
After several back and forths with our friends at EGLE, we now have a draft permit and are working on the administrative side to finalize it. We’re almost there, and expect no further permit issues. It cost a small fortune in concessions and one or two precedents that leave a bad taste, but best to look forward.
Due the recent influx of American Rescue Plan money, we may have a way to finance this project rather than paying for it directly from the stormwater utility. This would make things more manageable for all. That’s a work in progress but it looks like it will happen.
The design can now be finalized with the intention of bidding it yet this calendar year. Pending reasonable bids, we can look toward construction in the spring. If the weather allows, there may be an opportunity to do some excavation in the cold part of the winter. More to come on the schedule.
The road project at Scio Church is similarly delayed until next spring. So, with luck, the two projects will be overlapping.
Once we have things a bit more advanced, we’ll hold a public meeting to go over the design and how it will affect park use during construction and post-construction. Expect an email about that later in the fall.
Have a great weekend!
Harry Sheehan
Chief Deputy of Washtenaw County Water Resources
sheehanh@washtenaw.org
