Park Address: 2900 Sequoia Pkwy, Ann Arbor MI 48103
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, and dogs must be on leash.
Overview
Hollywood Park is a three acre park, adjacent to Abbot Elementary School, along Sequoia Parkway west of N. Maple Road in the northwestern corner of the city. View the Ann Arbor Parks & Nature Areas Map for location context. Access to the park is from Sequoia Parkway.
Although small, Hollywood Park contains a high-quality woodland, with abundant wildflowers in the spring. A path through the woods allows the casual hiker to view one of richest displays of spring wildflowers in the city. The remainder of the park is a grassy mowed area, the perfect spot for a spring picnic surrounded by wildflowers. This nature area is undergoing restoration efforts by the staff and volunteers of Natural Area Preservation, including removal of non-native invasive plants.
Access and Parking
There is street parking along Sequoia Parkway and Kuehnle Avenue.
The park can be reached on foot and bicycle by using the neighborhood streets. The surrounding streets have sidewalks. Nearby North Maple Road has sidewalks and bike lanes. There are no bike racks at the park.
Public Transportation: There is a bus stop on North Maple Road at Sequoia, about a five-minute walk from the park. Visit The Ride for closest stops and route details or check out the parks ride guide.
Using a phone? - Click for a GPS Tracker and Wayfinding Map
Amenities
- Unpaved paths
- Landfill receptacle
Volunteer
There are ongoing and limitless 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. Natural Area Preservation also has volunteer opportunities that support their mission to protect and restore Ann Arbor's natural areas and to foster an environmental ethic within the community. 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. 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.
Hollywood Park was acquired by the city in 1961 as the surrounding neighborhood subdivision was developed. The land was given to the city by the developer, as new developments at the time had a requirement to include some park land. Some work was done to clear undergrowth in the area in 1964 which drew protests from some of the neighbors and students from Abbott Elementary, which borders the park. Neighbors and students sent letters to the parks department. There was some philosophical disagreement over how "natural beauty" would best be exhibited by the park, with some arguing that it should be left completely untouched. Parks director S.S. Sproull espoused the view that "natural beauty" can be sometimes better achieved with human maintenance. In a letter concerning the park and the idea, he wrote:
"You will find almost unanimous approval of the concept of natural beauty, and among park people the approval will be 100%. This is our trade and we work at it every day. The concept has its variations however. Areas of so called natural beauty can and do include "nature areas", but are not limited to nature areas. This becomes difficult to define and differentiate, since we can have all degrees from the completely untouched to the very formally maintained. I won't go into specifics here, and merely wish to point out that Mother Nature can display considerable beauty without having poison ivy entwined in her hair and a sprig of ragweed clenched between her teeth."
Sproull met with residents in 1965 and came to an agreement that the neighbors happily agreed to, clearing dead trees and impassable undergrowth while leaving most of the park's natural features intact.
Read a Natural Area Preservation (NAP) Newsletter highlighting the park and its woods:
2000 Park Focus: Hollywood Park by Katherine O'Brien
Updated October 2022. Email [email protected] for incorrect/outdated information.
