MORENCI — Improvements to Stephenson Park, a few blocks south of downtown Morenci, are on track to be completed sometime in May.
The changes include picnic pavilions, new playground equipment, a full-sized basketball court, a new pickleball court, and improved lighting throughout the park.
The lighting upgrades are complete, and the new lights are already on from dusk to dawn.
“If you drive or walk by after dark, you will notice a significant difference,” said Heather Sarnac, the city’s community and economic development director.
As of early April, the concrete pathways were nearly finished and concrete had been poured for the basketball court expansion and the new pickleball court, though workers were waiting on more consistently warm temperatures before applying the final sports court surface.
The final steps include putting in the new playground equipment and installing the two pavilions and site furnishings such as picnic tables, benches, trash cans, and bike rack.
The parking lot will also be restriped, Sarnac said, and there will be two accessible parking spaces.
The project was undertaken after community surveys showed that while 82 percent of residents were satisfied with the facilities at the much larger Wakefield Park, only 20 percent said the same about Stephenson Park.
The city worked with landscape architect Lisa DuRussel on the design, and also consulted with the organization disAbility Connections to maximize inclusivity. The general contractor for the project is Midwest Contracting Inc. from Holland, Ohio.
The work is being funded by an $863,500 grant from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.