ROSEVILLE, Mich. (WXYZ) — The city of Roseville broke ground on a new splash pad at Rotary Park, but some residents worry the location could put children at risk due to its proximity to a busy road.
The splash pad will be located at the southeast end of Rotary Park, which sits at the corner of Eastland and Utica roads. Utica Road sees heavy traffic and has been the site of crashes in the past.
Watch Randy Wimbley's video report below:
"I'm not opposed to it. I think it's a great idea, but I think they should've considered the safety of the children," said Theresa Zechmeister, who has lived near Rotary Park for about 40 years.
Residents say a truck driving on Utica Road crashed through the park fence and nearly hit the park bathroom structure recently.
"This is an incident that just tells you what can happen. What if that guy would've been up there further and that happened? It's just not a good idea and nobody planned for it," Roseville resident Joseph Zechmeister said.
City officials, however, insist safety has been a top priority in the planning process.
"We are going to have seating around the splash pad that are basically concrete-formed seating structures that look like boulders. Again, they're made out of solid concrete that if a vehicle or something did make it through the first two layers of fencing, they would have to be stopped by those boulders too," Roseville City Manager Ryan Monroe said.
Monroe added that Roseville is working with Macomb County’s Department of Roads to reduce Utica Road from two lanes in each direction to one, which would reduce traffic and increase safety at the pedestrian crosswalk.
The splash pad is expected to be completed around Memorial Day 2026 as part of a $2 million project to improve Rotary Park. The upgrades will also include pickleball courts, a ninja warrior course and wheelchair-accessible swings.
While Theresa Zechmeister welcomes these improvements to the park, she remains cautious about the splash pad.
"Will you be bringing your grandchildren to this splash pad?” reporter Randy Wimbley asked.
“I don't know. I'd be leary. I'd have to wait and see," Theresa Zechmeister said.
Monroe assured that safety remains a top priority.
"Once the project is done, we'll take another safety assessment and add anything else we need to keep our residents, especially our children, safe."
