ANN ARBOR, Mich. (WXYZ) — Nearly a month after an EF-1 tornado tore through Ann Arbor, Veterans Memorial Park is still recovering — and some of its most-used facilities won't be back open anytime soon.
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The tornado struck April 15, blowing down a wall of Veterans Memorial Ice Arena and causing widespread damage across the park. Some baseball fields will not be open this weekend, the community pool missed the Memorial Day weekend reopening window, and the ice arena will remain closed for the entire 2026-27 school year.
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Josh Landefeld, the services manager for Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation, said the scope of the damage at the ice arena goes beyond what the storm alone caused.
"There's light damages. There's issues within the plumbing and different things from the storm. As well as it's an old building," Landefeld said.
With repairs expected to take months, high school hockey teams from Dexter and Ann Arbor will need to find another rink for the upcoming season.
At the community pool, located at the front of the park, a damage assessment is still underway.
"The pool liner was damaged in the storm," Landefeld said. "Later this week, we are hoping to turn our systems on. That'll be a moment when we know what impact there may have been to those mechanical systems."
Behind the arena, mangled fencing around several baseball fields remains a concern, along with downed trees and fallen light poles.
"There are real big concerns about the backstops," Landefeld said. "We had six of our baseball lights go down."
Park visitors said the damage has been difficult to take in. Bonnie VanHorn, who lives in Ann Arbor, said the tornado caught her off guard.
"I was surprised it hit here, you know? Ann Arbor? I'm like, you know. I'm from Up North originally. Yeah, we had tornadoes there, but I never thought here," VanHorn said.
Nancy Nicholson, also an Ann Arbor resident, said the loss of the park's trees hit her especially hard.
"Stunning to me. I've been walking in this park for years. So, to see all those huge whatever they are. I don't know, hundred-year-old trees or something down was sad," Nicholson said.
Despite the extensive damage, Landefeld said the city is committed to restoring the park and its facilities.
"It's much loved. It's much appreciated in the community. You know, it's our job to do as much as we can to make sure that it's here for the future," Landefeld said.
The city is working to reopen parts of Veterans Memorial Park to visitors this weekend. The pool is not expected to reopen for a few more weeks, though city officials are optimistic about that timeline.
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