Below you will find information on the proposed renovations for Birney Park as prepared by the City Of Bay City Department Of Community Development / Parks, Buildings & Grounds. This information is as of February 2008 although there may be changes in the future.

PROJECT NARRATIVE

In 2007, the City commissioned a study of Birney Park to identify recreation needs and develop a plan to renovate the facilities. O’Boyle and Associates, a Landscape Architectural firm with offices located in Kalamazoo MI, was retained to facilitate the process of developing a master plan. Working in cooperation with City Staff, workshops were conducted to gather community input.

Participants included neighborhood residents, businesses and representatives of the Birney Park Car Club.

Birney Park was originally called Madison Avenue Park and later renamed after pioneer James G. Birney. Dedicated in 1848, it’s considered one of the City’s oldest parks. The site is bordered by Madison, 9th,10th and Jackson Streets and is 3.5 Acres in size.

The original improvements are reported to have been completed in 1883 and included an ornate three tiered metal water fountain located in the center of the site, with sidewalks radiating out to the adjacent border streets. Other furnishings included decorative lighting and park benches.

The character of this site was further defined by a dense stand of mature trees. Additional improvements were added in 1907 and included two cannons that fired at Fort Sumpter during the Civil War. It’s evident from historic photos that the park was initially developed for passive uses.

The history of the park is not well documented. Over time and for reasons unknown, the fountain, cannons, furnishings and many mature trees disappeared. These features were replaced by more contemporary improvements that included playgrounds, a baseball backstop, picnic shelter, benches and barbecue grills.

Changes in the character of the park were most likely motivated by the desire to provide facilities for youth recreation, which placed more emphasis on active uses as opposed to passive.

More recently, a new use became established when a local group of automobile enthusiasts organized a yearly car show on-site that ‘s become both popular and successful.

Today, Birney Park struggles for identity while reflecting a mix of the old and the new. The site is poorly adapted to serve the community needs & the recreational quality of the facilities has deteriorated.

The recently completed master plan offers hope for renovating the park, in a manner that preserves the past while adapting to the future.

Supporters of this project believe the proposed improvements embrace the parks historical qualities, while enhancing recreational opportunities and strengthening the neighborhood. With “plan in hand” the City, along with a dedicated group of volunteers, have joined in partnership to raise the funds necessary to undertake the much needed improvements.