Overview
Bicentennial Park is a 26.5-acre park located at the corner of Ellsworth Road and Platt Road in southeast Ann Arbor. This park was formerly known as Southeast Area Park.
City Council voted unanimously to rename the park in observation of the city's bicentennial anniversary on May 15th, 2023. View the Ann Arbor Parks and Nature Areas map for location context. This recreation area contains two playground areas, lighted softball and baseball fields, athletic fields, a full basketball court, a picnic shelter, a drinking fountain, restrooms, picnic tables and grills. There is a paved multi use pathway loop around the perimeter of the park popular for walking. This outer loop is just over a 1/2 mile.
Thank you for your donations and support
Bicentennial Park is undergoing an exciting transformation to mark Ann Arbor's 200th anniversary, and we are deeply grateful to the generous donors who have already stepped forward to support this legacy project. Your contributions are vital in helping us create a vibrant and inclusive space for our community. With your help, Bicentennial Park will soon feature Ann Arbor's first universal-access splash pad, updated solar-powered amenities, and enhanced recreational facilities that will enrich the lives of families for generations to come. Thank you for believing in this vision and for helping to make it a reality. Together, we are building a brighter future for Bicentennial Park and our community. Special thanks to:
- AFC Ann Arbor
- International Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Foundation (IWSH)
- Rotary Club of Ann Arbor
- Shoner Plumbing and Mechanical
- State of Michigan
- United Association
- University of Michigan
Bicentennial Park's 200th Anniversary Legacy Projects
Bicentennial Park call for support
Please help enrich the lives of many families in Ann Arbor and beyond! The much-needed and well-deserved enhancements to transform Bicentennial Park will not happen without private donations. We appreciate your support and we look forward to seeing you at the park.
Plaque Donation
One of the many ways to help support enhancements to Bicentennial Park and leave a legacy of your own is to donate a bench or picnic table at the park. Benches and picnic tables can be donated for $5,000/each. If interested in donating, please fill out the
Bicentennial Donation Form below and return via mail or email. Mail to: Ann Arbor Parks & Recreation, 301 E. Huron St., Ann Arbor, MI, 48104 or email:
[email protected]. After receipt of the donation application form, parks and recreation staff will contact the potential donor. The chart below indicates the availability of park items. The cell will say "
taken" if it's no longer available . There are four picnic tables and 16 benches in total.
| Amenity | #Available | #Total |
| Bench | 14
| 16 |
| Picnic Table | 4 | 4 |
Park Enhancements, Splash Pad and More
To celebrate the milestone, Southeast Area Park was renamed Bicentennial Park with a plan to improve the park. The primary enhancement will be Ann Arbor's first universal-access splash pad, updated playground, pavilion and restrooms, all of which will be solar-powered. Additional items being considered are a new building and shelter to support park operations and programming, trail improvements and more. By supporting these enhancements, the park will see an increase in accessibility that will offer a vibrant, innovative and inclusive environment where neighbors, friends and families can connect. See artists renderings below. Watch a video below from the July renaming ceremony that featured residents, local dignitaries and city officials.
Winter at Bicentennial Park
The Bicentennial Park pathways are scheduled for clearing when it snows. For more information on which parks are on the path clearing routes, visit Parks in the Wintertime . This park has also served as a Christmas tree disposal site seasonally.
