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.
In 2002, the site was bought and sold in quick succession by several developers, and was ultimately slated to be developed into 33 condominiums. Park neighbors didn’t want to see the neighborhood woods demolished, and attended many Planning Commission and City Council meetings to voice their concerns. Eventually, they decided to take matters into their own hands, advocating that the City of Ann Arbor purchase the site for parkland. The Greater Sunset Brooks Neighborhood Association was formed and the group committed to raise the funds for 25% of the purchase price of the site. In a partnership with the Ann Arbor Community Foundation, the group developed a fund for community donations. Within a year’s time, 96 neighbors contributed to the project, raising more than $93,000. After this demonstration of support from the community, and with this financial assistance, the City purchased Sunset Brooks Natural Area in 2003 from Johnson Holding Company. Decades later, people continue to be inspired to care for this small neighborhood park.
For more details about this nature area and its features, read
Natural Area Preservation newsletter 2014 Park Focus: Sunset Brooks Nature Area by Molly Notarianni
