This profile of Ann Arbor’s West Park Playground is part of our Playground Profiles Series. Are you interested in sponsoring the series? Contact us for details.
Each week Ann Arbor with Kids is profiling a different playground in the Ann Arbor area including Ann Arbor, Saline, Ypsilanti, Dexter, etc. Today we are profiling West Park part of the Ann Arbor system.
Ann Arbor’s West Park
West Park – Playground Features
Playground Profile Last Updated: April 4, 2017
This playground profile was collected prior to our new format which did not gather all of this data. We have included our best guess in the conversion and will add them to our list to be updated. Information most likely to be incorrect is number of slides and structures
Playground Best for: Kids Under 5, Kids 5-8, Kids 8-12
Structures: 1
Accessible Structure: No
Slides: 4, Straight Slide, Curved Slide, Racer Slide
Monkey Bars: No
Zip Line: No
Climbing Apparatus: No
Merry Go Round: Yes
Bouncers: No
See Saw: No
Sandbox: Yes
Natural Play: No
Swings: 2 traditional swings, 2 baby swings, 0 parent/baby swings, 0 adaptive swings, 1 tire swings
Ground Activities: Yes
Surface: Wooden Mulch
Shade: No –
Seating: Yes, Benches & Picnic Table
Events from our Sponsors
 Future Innovators Academy Break CampsDays Off From School |  Family Day & Summer 5KSunday, June 8 |  Big Play DayJune 21 |  Ann Arbor Jaycees 4th of July ParadeFriday, July 4 |  Pee Wee Olympics & Foam PartySunday, July 20 |
West Park – Park Details
Park Owner: Ann Arbor
Location: West Park, 215 Chapin Street, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Parking: Parking Lot – Small lot on Chapin near the playground/softball field. Street parking on seventh.
Bathrooms: Port a Potty
Walking Trails: Paved – Paved trails connect West Park to 7th, Miller (via stairs), and Chapin. Wooden boardwalks over marshland connect to Huron.
Water Play: None
Picnic Benches: Yes, At Playground, Nearby, Shady
Pavilion: No
Sports Fields: Baseball/Softball, Tennis, Open Fields
West Park Description
The band shell makes West Park a destination park, but the playground is more in line with a neighborhood park.
The structure includes a number of slides and a flexible bridge. It does have a fire pole to slide down. They were a staple at playgrounds when I was a kid, but seem to be less popular now.
West Park has a large sand area. There are multiple diggers or the kids to use and a climbing sculpture (it looks a bit like a dolphin to me).
Inside the sand area is the merry-go-round – always a popular draw for kids.
Events at West Park
West Park is a frequent event host – particularly at the band shell. Each summer the band shell is host to the Ann Arbor Civic Band’s weekly concerts. Note in May 2021 the band shell was temporarily closed due to structural issues until a restoration plan can be put in place. Summer 2021 concerts were still held with smaller band groupings performing in front of the band shell. For summer 2022, concerts have been relocated to Burns Park.
Upcoming Events
Beyond West Park
West Park is a large park on the west side of Ann Arbor conveniently located near both Miller and Huron. It is walking distance to many other parks like Belize and Hunt Park as well as walkable from the Main Street area of downtown. Make a plan to park near West Park, walk to the Main Street area for dinner, and then return to West Park for a stop at the playground and to enjoy one of the Ann Arbor Civic Band Concerts (I recommend parking near West Park to be able to retrieve chairs or a blanket before the concert starts).
Ann Arbor Playground Profiles
Have you been to Ann Arbor’s West Park? If so, what is your favorite part?
Find more Ann Arbor area playgrounds in our Playground Profile series. Then, plan your own playground tour.
