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Veterans Memorial Park

2150 Jackson Ave, Ann Arbor MI 48103 (Pool & Ice Arena, Tennis Courts)

Maple Road Parking (Skatepark and Ball Fields 1, 2 & 3)

Dexter Ave. Parking (Ball Fields 4 & 5)
Field #4 Pop-up Dog Park (November-April)

734.794.6230

Overview

Veterans Memorial Park is a 37-acre park that is one of the busiest recreation areas in the city. View the Ann Arbor Parks and Nature Areas map for location context. The park is named in honor of veterans of the United States military, commemorated by a memorial located at the southwest corner of the park. Veterans Memorial Park contains five baseball/softball fields, a pool and ice arena, the Ann Arbor Skatepark, tennis courts with tennis ball recycling bins, rain gardens, a hill used for sledding in the winter, paved paths with winter maintenance and benches and picnic tables to relax and unwind. Pickleball striping exists on one of the tennis courts. Please note, that this pickleball court requires you to bring your own net (contact Ann Arbor District Library for pickleball net rental information). This park also has a pickup spot in the winter for a sand/salt mixture to treat sidewalks. There is an official City of Ann Arbor ballot drop box located at the pool & ice arena parking lot. Contact park rentals for field rental information.

Veterans Memorial Pool and Ice Arena operates a pool in the summer and an ice arena in the winter. Visit the facility page for hours, class descriptions and more.

The Ann Arbor Skatepark, a 30,000-foot world-class skating facility, is free and open to the public from 6 a.m.-10 p.m. New lights have been installed to provide extended use into the evening and early morning hours. This project was possible because of support from our partners at Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission and the Friends of the Ann Arbor Skatepark. Testing is still underway, but the lights are currently available between 6-9 a.m. as well as 4:15-10 p.m. and can be turned on by one of two push buttons on site. This will provide an hour of light time and a flashing strobe light will indicate that 10 minutes are remaining before the lights shut off. At that time, the button can be pushed to activate the lights again up until the cut-off. The timing of the lights will be adjusted seasonally.

Skateboards, scooters and roller blades are all welcome at the skatepark which is designed for all levels and features kidney pools from 5 to 9.5 feet deep, a snake run, clover and flow bowls and a rock ride. View skatepark layout here. Bicycles are not allowed, but you can view bike recreation here if you are looking for where to ride your bike. The skatepark, which opened in 2014, operates in partnership with the Friends of the Ann Arbor Skatepark. Please view skatepark etiquette and park rules. Contact parks customer service for questions or special event information at the skatepark.

Veterans Memorial Park Pop-up Dog Park

In alignment with our commitment to creating "Green Spaces, Happy Places," the City of Ann Arbor is introducing its first pop-up dog park, located at Veterans Memorial Park Field #4, from Nov. 15-April 20. This temporary dog park pilot responds to increasing community interest in accessible, dedicated spaces for pets and their owners to exercise and connect with others. Through this initiative, the city aims to explore options and gather feedback on the potential for a permanent off-leash dog area. During the pilot, city staff will gather insights through surveys, visitor counts and community events. Located within ballfield #4 (the northeast field along Dexter Ave.), the Veterans Memorial Pop-Up Dog Park offers 1.4 acres of space and is open daily from dawn (6 a.m.) to 10 p.m., with lighting provided from approximately 4:30-10 p.m. to facilitate evening use.

All dogs are welcome, though please note that there are no separate areas designated for small and large dogs. Standard dog park rules and regulations apply, including licensing and permit requirements (entrance to any pop-up dog parks are included with all purchased dog park permits). We encourage responsible use by all visitors to help make this pilot a success. Thank you for joining us in bringing more happy places to our community. Visit the dog park website for permits, licensing and other information including the 2024 dog park packet.

Park Notices

Unless otherwise posted per City Council resolution, when a park is closed, no person shall remain in or enter it other than to quietly sit or walk.

Refer to Chapter 39 of the City of Ann Arbor Code of Ordinances for park regulations and rules.

Park Hours

6 a.m. – Midnight

Amenities

Drinking Fountains

Playground

Restrooms

Skatepark

Grills

Picnic Tables

Baseball/Softball Fields

Tennis Courts

Landfill & Recycling Bins

Rain Gardens

Ice Arena

Pool

Sledding Hill

Paved Paths

Access and Parking

While there is one park address for Veterans Memorial Park (2150 Jackson Avenue), there are multiple entrances and parking lots located off of three different roads. Your navigation app may take you to a different spot than someone else's so if you are looking to meet up at the park, review the Veterans Memorial Park parking guide for parking lot details and amenity locations.

The park is accessible on foot as Dexter Avenue, Maple Road, and Jackson Avenue all have sidewalks. The park is accessible on bicycle by using bike lanes on Dexter Avenue and Jackson Avenue. There is a small bike rack at the Maple Road entrance and a larger bike rack at the pool and ice rink entrance.

Public Transportation

There are bus stops immediately adjacent to the park on Dexter Avenue and Jackson Avenue. The nearest stop to the pool and ice arena is on Jackson Avenue. The nearest stop to the skatepark and ball fields is on Dexter Avenue.

Visit TheRide for schedule and route details and check out the parks ride guide.

History

Ann Arbor's city parks sit on the ancestral and traditional homelands of several indigenous Native peoples. Read a land acknowledgement from the city and learn more about the early history of the land here.

Veterans Memorial Park was originally the Washtenaw County Fairgrounds. This site served as the fairgrounds from 1922, when it moved from the land that became Burns Park, until 1951, when the land was purchased by the city for $127,500. The park was given the name Veterans Memorial Park in 1955 in honor of veterans of the U.S. military.

The Washtenaw County Fairgrounds, soon to become Veterans Memorial Park, 1955

Funds were approved for the first ball diamonds in 1958. Here is what one of the fields looked like in 1960. Lights were installed in 1961. All five diamonds, still present today, were completed by 1963 (renovated in 2012). The pool and ice arena facilities were added later in the 1960s. View "Winter Fun at Veterans Memorial Park, December 1966". The ice arena was an outdoor rink until 1973 when the rink was enclosed. There is a long history of baseball and softball being played at the park- a 1999 article from the Ann Arbor News called it "the place to play ball".

Baseball at the park, 1969

Recent Developments

The Ann Arbor Skatepark was opened in the park in 2014 after years of community advocacy. Tony Hawk and other professional skateboarders attended the grand opening ceremony.

A new memorial honoring U.S. veterans was added to the southwest corner of the park, visible from the corner of Jackson Avenue and Maple Road, in 2019. Funds were contributed by the American Legion Post 423 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Active Park Adopters

Volunteers play a big role in helping with maintenance and beautification at Veteran's Memorial Park. The University of Michigan's chapter of American Nuclear Society has volunteered at Veteran's Memorial Park since 2017. They have worked on a variety of tasks including removing litter, planting flowers, weeding, mulching gardens and helping to facilitate fun events at the ice rink.

There is also a wonderful group of individuals committed to several volunteer projects at Veteran's Memorial Park who have adopted the memorial garden at the corner of Jackson Avenue and Maple Road since 2020. They are also dedicated stewards at one of the park's many rain gardens. Ongoing maintenance needs that they help with include weeding, spreading mulch and advocating for park improvements.

Volunteer in the parks

Looking to make an impact in a park or nature area? Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation provides volunteer opportunities for almost every interest, ability, and commitment level.

Learn more about volunteer opportunities

Park Finder

Discover parks and find amenities through the City of Ann Arbor Park Finder. This map allows you to search park names or search by amenity type or keyword.

View the Park Finder

A2Fix It - Service request tool

A2 Fix It is an online system you can use to report any maintenance issues or other problems during your park visit. When reporting an issue in a park please include detailed location information in the "details and description" section near the end of the request process. Pictures that provide location context are very helpful.

Submit a request