Wheeler Park

This profile of Ann Arbor’s Wheeler 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 Wheeler Park part of the Ann Arbor system.

Ann Arbor’s Wheeler Park

Wheeler Park is a 2 acre park bordered by 4th, 5th and Depot across from the railroad station. It has a small structure and a mini train to play on.

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Wheeler Park – Playground Features

Playground Profile Last Updated: June 13, 2023

Playground Best for: Kids Under 5, Kids 5-8, Kids 8-12
Structures: 1
Accessible Structure: No
Slides: 3, Straight Slide, Curved Slide, Racer Slide
Monkey Bars: Yes
Zip Line: No
Climbing Apparatus: Yes
Merry Go Round: No
Bouncers: No
See Saw: No
Sandbox: No
Natural Play: No
Swings: 2 traditional swings, 2 baby swings, 0 parent/baby swings, 0 adaptive swings, 0 tire swings
Ground Activities: Yes
Surface: Wooden Mulch
Shade: Partial Shade – Trees around the play area
Seating: Yes, Benches at playground, retaining wall in a pinch, but the stone cap is fairly narrow.

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Wheeler Park – Park Details

Park Owner: Ann Arbor
Location: Wheeler Park, 200 Depot Street, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Parking: Street Parking – Free parking is available on 4th, Summit, & 5th. Meters are available on Depot. Make sure to observe parking restrictions.
Bathrooms: Yes, Seasonal
Walking Trails: Paved – There is a wide asphalt path through the park. Many parents find it a great place to teach their kids to ride a bike. Paths run from the sidewalks
Water Play: None
Picnic Benches: Yes, Nearby, Under Cover of Pavilion
Pavilion: Yes
Sports Fields: Basketball

Wheeler Park Description

Wheeler Park has more to offer than just a structure. As an older child, my daughter was intrigued with the Parallel Bars – until she slipped and bruised her elbow.

Meanwhile, younger kids will enjoy imaginary play with the train. Maybe they’ll even be lucky enough to see Amtrak pass by across the street.

I’ve heard many parents recommend the asphalt track as a great flat place for kids to learn to ride a bike.

Kids will also like the sand diggers at the park. On our visit, one was broken, but will hopefully be fixed soon.

Wheeler Park History

Wheeler Park is named for Albert Wheeler, the first African American mayor of Ann Arbor. It was originally known as Summit Street Playground. For a while it was the only playground in what was the city’s black neighborhood.

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Events at Wheeler Park

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

Wheeler Park hosts several events each year. The two most prominent are the city’s annual Juneteenth celebration and the annual Pride Picnic each August.

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Beyond Wheeler Park

Wheeler Park sits across the street from the Ann Arbor Train Station. If you time your visit right, you may see trains pass by. Argo Cascades are across the tracks from the train station. To reach the head of the cascades from Wheeler Park, cross Depot Street and head left to the new pedestrian tunnel alongside the Baracuda Networks building that runs under the train tracks. You’ll come out at the river and can cross the dam to visit the cascades. To reach the base of the Cascades, cross Depot Street and use the pedestrian stairs to the right of the station to get to the Broadway Bridge. Cross the bridge and use the stairs back down to the river level.

You can also access the Broadway Park dog park. You can walk up 4th street to North Main Park (and we do mean up, it is a decent sized hill). Once you’ve made it to North Main Park, Kerrytown is a short walk away.