Park Address: 2765 Bedford Rd, Ann Arbor MI 48104
Hours and Rules
Open 6 a.m.-midnight with quiet hours beginning at 10 p.m. Refer to Chapter 39 of the City of Ann Arbor Code of Ordinances for park regulations and rules. Smoking is prohibited, alcohol is prohibited and dogs must be on leash.
Overview
Bader Park is a little over 1.5 acres in size and located off Provincial Drive east of Arlington, nestled in the neighborhood between Geddes and Washtenaw Avenue southeast of downtown. View the Ann Arbor Parks and Nature Areas map for location context. The access to this park is 10 foot wide and easy to miss if you don’t watch for it. An accessible asphalt path connects Provincial Drive to the park which contains a basketball court, bike racks and picnic tables. The park also features a small softball diamond for pickup games and a small sledding hill in the winter.
Access and Parking
There is one entrance to the park off of Provincial Drive, and there is street parking along the road.
The park is accessible by foot and bicycle using the neighborhood streets surrounding the park. Nearby Washtenaw Avenue has sidewalks but no bike lanes. There are some bike racks in the park.
Public Transportation: The nearest bus stop is on Washtenaw Avenue at Arlington Boulevard, just under a mile from the park. Visit The Ride for schedule and route details or check out the parks ride guide.
Using a phone? - Click for a GPS Tracker and Wayfinding Map
Amenities
- Picnic tables and benches
- Playground with structure and swings
- Half basketball court
- Grill
- Bike racks
Volunteer
There are many opportunities for volunteering and getting engaged with the Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation Services Unit. GIVE 365 and the seasonal Adopt-a-Park Program offer volunteer opportunities ranging from a 90-minute commitment to a more long term ongoing role. If you are feeling the call to volunteer or give some time, reach out or explore the websites above to see what’s upcoming or how to get involved.
Report a Problem - A2 Fix It
To report any maintenance issues or other problem during your park visit, please report through A2Fix It. Keep in mind that parks are large spaces and A2 Fix It requests can be difficult to find without detailed information. When reporting an issue in a park please include location details. There is a details and description section near the end of the request process to help you provide this. In addition, users can utilize the pin (website) or X (mobile app) feature to provide specific location information inside the park. Finally, please consider including a wide angle photo or include background landmarks, which helps staff find and fix the problem.
Gifts and Donations
Information on donating to the parks and the Guide to Giving can be found here. Alternatively if you have a special project or park improvement idea that you want to donate your time and energy toward, a great place to start is through Adopt-a-Park and the proposing a special park project guide. For information on donating a tree through Adopt-a-Park, the tree donation guide can help you get started.
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.
Bader Park and the adjacent building were originally Bader Elementary School, which closed in 1985 after two decades of operation. The school was named after Edith M. Bader, who died in 1960. She had been an assistant superintendent from 1921-1942, principal of Perry School for three years and she was president of the Michigan State Education Association.
In 1987, the property, including the building and the park space, was bought by the Fellowship Bible Church. The park space was leased to the City of Ann Arbor, but in 1995, after several years of dispute between the church, surrounding neighbors, and the city regarding the park's accessibility, the city condemned the park space to acquire it for the purpose of keeping it as public parkland.
Updated November 2022. Email [email protected] for incorrect/outdated information.
