Park Address: 2150 Jackson Ave, Ann Arbor MI 48103 (South Entrance: Pool and Ice Arena; tennis courts)
Maple Road Parking (Skatepark and Ball Fields 1, 2 & 3)
Dexter Ave Parking (Ball Fields 4 and 5)
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. Contact
park rentals for policies and rules related to rentals and special uses and always refer to posted park signage in the park.
Smoking is prohibited, alcohol is prohibited and
dogs must be on leash.
Overview
Veterans Memorial Park is a 37-acre park that is one of the busiest recreation areas in the city. View the Ann Arbor Parks and Nature Areas map for location context. The park is named in honor of veterans of the United States military, commemorated by a memorial located at the southwest corner of the park. Veterans Memorial Park contains five baseball/softball fields, a pool and ice arena, the Ann Arbor Skatepark, tennis courts, rain gardens, a hill used for sledding in the winter, paths, and benches and picnic tables to relax and unwind. Pickleball stripping exists on one of the tennis courts. Please note, that this pickleball court requires you to bring your own net (contact Ann Arbor District Library for pickleball net rental information). View the parking guide below for parking options.
The Ann Arbor Skatepark, a 30,000-foot world-class facility is free and open to the public from 6 a.m.-10 p.m. New lights have been installed to provide extended use into the evening and early morning hours. This project was possible because of support from our partners at Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission and the Friends of the Ann Arbor Skatepark. Testing is still underway, but the lights are currently available between 6-9 a.m. as well as 4:15-10 p.m. and can be turned on by one of two push buttons on site. This will provide an hour of light time and a flashing strobe light will indicate that 10 minutes are remaining before the lights shut off. At that time, the button can be pushed to activate the lights again up until the cut-off. The timing of the lights will be adjusted seasonally.
Skateboards, scooters and roller blades are all welcome at the skatepark which is designed for all levels and features kidney pools from 5 to 9.5 feet deep, a snake run, clover and flow bowls and a rock ride. (view skatepark layout). Bicycles are not allowed (view bike recreation if you are looking for where to ride your bike). The skatepark which opened in 2014, operates in partnership with the Friends of the Ann Arbor Skatepark. Please view skatepark etiquette and park rules. Contact parks customer service for questions or special event information at the skatepark.
Access and Parking
While there is one park address for Veterans Memorial Park (2150 Jackson Avenue), there are multiple entrances and parking lots located off of three different roads. Your navigation app may take you to a different spot than someone else's so if you are looking to meet up at the park, review the Veterans Memorial Park parking guide for parking lot details and amenity locations.
The park is accessible on foot as Dexter Avenue, Maple Road, and Jackson Avenue all have sidewalks. The park is accessible on bicycle by using bike lanes on Dexter Avenue and Jackson Avenue. There is a small bike rack at the Maple Road entrance and a larger bike rack at the pool and ice rink entrance.
Public Transportation: There are bus stops immediately adjacent to the park on Dexter Avenue and Jackson Avenue. The nearest stop to the pool and ice arena is on Jackson Avenue. The nearest stop to the skatepark and ball fields is on Dexter Avenue. Visit The Ride for schedule and route details and check out the parks ride guide.
Using a phone? - Click for a GPS Tracker and Wayfinding Map
Amenities
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.
Veterans Memorial Park was originally the Washtenaw County Fairgrounds. This site served as the fairgrounds from 1922, when it moved from the land that became Burns Park, until 1951, when the land was purchased by the city for $127,500. The park was given the name Veterans Memorial Park in 1955 in honor of veterans of the U.S. military.
The Washtenaw County Fairgrounds, soon to become Veterans Memorial Park, 1955
Funds were approved for the first ball diamonds in 1958. Here is what one of the fields looked like in 1960. Lights were installed in 1961. All five diamonds, still present today, were completed by 1963 (renovated in 2012). The pool and ice arena facilities were added later in the 1960s. View "Winter Fun at Veterans Memorial Park, December 1966". The ice arena was an outdoor rink until 1973 when the rink was enclosed. There is a long history of baseball and softball being played at the park- a 1999 article from the Ann Arbor News called it "the place to play ball".
Baseball at the park, 1969
Recent Developments:
The Ann Arbor Skatepark was opened in the park in 2014 after years of community advocacy. Tony Hawk and other professional skateboarders attended the grand opening ceremony.
A new memorial honoring U.S. veterans was added to the southwest corner of the park, visible from the corner of Jackson Avenue and Maple Road, in 2019. Funds were contributed by the American Legion Post 423 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Read more about the history and development of the park here. Check out more historical articles and photographs courtesy of the AADL here.
Active Park Adopters
Volunteers play a large role in helping with maintenance and beautification at Veteran's Memorial Park. The University of Michigan's chapter of American Nuclear Society has volunteered at Veteran's Memorial Park since 2017. They have worked on a variety of tasks including removing litter, planting flowers, weeding, mulching gardens and helping to facilitate fun events at the ice rink.
There is also a wonderful group of individuals committed to several volunteer projects at Veteran's Memorial Park who have adopted the garden at the corner of Jackson Avenue and Maple Road since 2020. They are also dedicated stewards at one of the park's many raingardens. Ongoing maintenance needs that they help with include weeding, spreading mulch and advocating for park improvements.
Contact us if you or your group are interested in being an additional adopter at Veteran's Memorial Park to help with tasks including maintaining flower beds, picking up litter and invasive species removal. Email us at [email protected] or call 734.794.6445 for more information.
Updated January 2023. Email [email protected] for incorrect/outdated information.
