City details storm damage at Veterans Park; ice season canceled, portions of park partially reopened

Adam (city parks staff) told the Ann Arbor Parks Advisory Commission that an EF1 tornado touched down near Veterans Park on April 15, causing significant structural and site damage though, he said, “thankfully nobody was hurt.” City inspections found a collapsed east wall of the ice arena, roof and interior water and electrical damage, missing solar panels, and large-scale tree and lighting failures across ball fields and other park amenities.

The city has mobilized architects and engineers (Hubble, Ruff & Clark), contractors for salvage and roofing, and municipal crews to stabilize the site. Adam said crews erected a temporary stabilization wall and removed debris; drone footage and structural reviews were used to prioritize repairs. He described the damage as broad enough that “you can’t just put it back up” and stressed teams are evaluating interconnected systems such as fire suppression, lighting, and mechanical equipment.

Staff reported heavy park-side losses: multiple backstops and fences were damaged, six of 13 large metal light poles came down and the rest were judged unsafe and removed, and roughly 14–18 large trees were lost in the playground zone. Crews removed about 35 trees and performed safety pruning on 22 more where canopies were compromised.

Those assessments extend to the facility’s pool and ice systems. Adam outlined the sequence of checks: the pool liner and fence enclosure must be secured before the pool can be filled and its mechanical systems tested. The arena’s ice condenser and compressor system were displaced and require crane work and further evaluation; staff said the city had an RFP out for compressor replacement prior to the tornado. Because those critical components cannot be safely tested or brought online in time, staff made “the call that the ice season won’t be happening this year,” Adam said.

City staff also summarized cost and planning context: the department’s ADA transition plan identified roughly $800,000 in accessibility investments at Veterans Park; asset management forecasts showed $3 million in near-term capital needs and an estimated $1.8 million chiller replacement cost. Over a 10-year horizon, staff cited about $5.5 million in direct replacement needs for aging elements. Adam said those preexisting capital needs will factor into decisions about repair versus full replacement, because work exceeding 50% of a component’s value may trigger code and ADA upgrade requirements.

On insurance, staff said the city is self-insured and is working with adjusters; the city is documenting hours, inspections and repairs and is “asking for everything” it can to reconcile storm damage versus preexisting conditions. Adam said partial reopenings have been possible where safety permits: the skate park, one baseball field, the dog park and a playground are open, while the facility, pool, certain fields, and the tennis courts remain closed pending inspections and repairs.

Next steps, staff said, include completing outstanding evaluations (pool mechanical testing, ice system assessment, tennis-court lighting and irrigation checks) over the coming one to two weeks, finalizing repair scenarios and cost estimates with the city’s structural engineer, coordinating with insurance adjusters, and bringing options to the commission for decisions on repairs, upgrades and public access.