Ten-year-old Erik Petainen, a fifth-grader at Angell Elementary, recently took the mic at the Ann Arbor City Council meeting to present his “Plan the Park” map, a project that may have set the stage for a future career in urban planning.
Erik, who participates in the A2V Middle School Math Acceleration Program, created the park design as part of his Online Math 6 coursework. The project challenges students to design a park, write a report, and compose a letter to the City Council. Erik became the first student in the program’s eight-year history to present his ideas directly to local government officials.
Inspiration struck close to home for Erik, the son of Naomi and Kai Petainen. Living across from a park separated by train tracks, he envisioned a space that was both accessible and lots of fun. His design showcased a circular flower garden, an ambitious obstacle course featuring a massive zipline, and practical amenities such as bathrooms and trash cans.
Safety wasn’t overlooked, with Erik incorporating a fence into his plans. A key element of his park is a tunnel that goes underneath the train tracks, connecting the B2B trail to the University of Michigan Nichols Arboretum.
“That tunnel is actually part of the University of Michigan Campus Plan 2050,” notes his father, Kai Petainen. “So there is a very real possibility that at least one portion of his plan—this tunnel— becomes reality.”
Erik’s design also included a play fort, a community garden, and a fairy garden, blending functionality with imagination.
Mayor Christopher Taylor responded to Erik’s letter by thanking him for the proposed park plan and particularly the fairy garden. He noted the excellent details and “extremely thoughtful design.”
Taylor also noted: “It’s probably a fair bit too early for you to think these things through, but did you know that some folks are lucky enough to make a career of planning parks? Check out the City’s website where we talk about park planning: https://www.a2gov.org/departments/Parks-Recreation/administrative/Pages/Park-Planning.aspx“
Ann Arbor City Councilmember and Mayor Pro Tem Travis Radina tweeted:
Erik’s presentation to City Council:
Erik’s parents are understandably proud of their son.
“At one point I tried talking him out of it and he was determined to do it,” said his father. “I certainly wasn’t that brave when I was his age. I prepared him in advance that since he was giving public commentary then someone could complain and tell him that his idea was horrible. If someone complained, Erik was ready to respond with, `I will take that into consideration.’ I could see him in planning/architecture/engineering as he loves creating stuff in Minecraft, Legos and he even loves creating cardboard mini-golf courses.”
At the end of the evening, Erik was one happy 10-year-old, his father said, adding that Erik said: “The people at City Hall are nice. When can I talk again?”
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