Ferry Field WILL NOT become a parking lot

Submitted by Wolverine Devotee on

Huzzah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Manuel says Michigan will not turn Ferry Field into a complete parking lot. "It's a piece of land we'll be careful with."

— Nick Baumgardner (@nickbaumgardner) August 23, 2017

uncleFred

August 23rd, 2017 at 8:56 PM ^

Many people believe that houses absorb the karma from previous occupants and release that into the environment of new owners. My next-door neighbor died in his bed and wasn't discovered for ten days. His relatives took a $100K hit on the value of his home. The new buyers gutted all of the internal structure and completely rebuilt it inside the shell.

Alton

August 23rd, 2017 at 3:06 PM ^

I note the use of the word "Complete" in Mr. Manuel's statement.  I assume that means there will be a tiny space where the plaque is preserved in what is otherwise a parking lot.

Or was there follow-up information to indicate just what is actually planned?

CarrIsMyHomeboy

August 23rd, 2017 at 3:30 PM ^

Very nice. This outcome only makes sense. Now: Since nobody else has yet flipped to Devil's Advocate Mode, it might as well be me:

The old plans obviously arose out of serious parking concerns. So...what's the alternative plan?

skurnie

August 23rd, 2017 at 5:31 PM ^

I mean, football plays 5-7 home games a year...I'm sure they just don't feel they'll get the return. Additionally, what can they really do? They aren't buying a block of houses in Burns Park and turning that into a parking garage. 

I think, as a Townie, I should be real upset that the University isn't addressing the parking situation and also the deer cull and organic mattresses and free parking for Subaru's. 

Bando Calrissian

August 23rd, 2017 at 6:01 PM ^

Those areas are used for university parking the rest of the year, plus hockey (which the current lot can't accomodate), softball, basketball, etc. It's not just for football.

The easy solution is a parking deck at the back of the Blue Lot, but that would make too much sense.

BursleyHall82

August 23rd, 2017 at 5:06 PM ^

A graduating senior at U-M named Jerry Ford was at Ferry Field on that historic day in 1935 when Jesse Owens set the four world records (he was there to see his friend Willis Ward compete in the high jump). Here's the fascinating story about Ford and Owens, Wolverines and Buckeyes, and how that day in 1935 came into play during Ford's White House days.

http://thelivingstonpost.com/decency-justice-and-the-michigan-osu-rival…

M-Dog

August 23rd, 2017 at 6:28 PM ^

Interesting:

Owens set four world records at the Big Ten championships in 1935. What is forgotten is that Ohio State only finished second – the Leaders and Best were the University of Michigan by a margin of 48 to 43.5 over OSU.

Wow, Owens set 4 world records and yet Ohio State still only finished second to Michigan.

Cool.

 

Chalky White

August 24th, 2017 at 9:08 AM ^

My daughter is new to track this year. Her track club practices at Ferry Field because it is a public facility after 7 PM. One of the parents told me that because of the weight room taking up a lot of Oosterban, Ferry Field was going to go to the football team one way or another.

I don't know what is and isn't true. At the time, I hadn't noticed that it was a historic site. I wonder if the field will remain available or if they will allow clubs, students and people from the community to continue to work out on the track.

Doclosh

August 23rd, 2017 at 10:06 PM ^

I have run on the track at Ferry Field.  More importantly, Jesse Owens and scores of other legends ran on the track.  And the legacy of Michigan football was born there.  I cannot thank AD Manual  enough for considering those facts.  I look forward to us finding a suitable use to save those memories in the future.

Doclosh

August 23rd, 2017 at 10:06 PM ^

I have run on the track at Ferry Field.  More importantly, Jesse Owens and scores of other legends ran on the track.  And the legacy of Michigan football was born there.  I cannot thank AD Manual  enough for considering those facts.  I look forward to us finding a suitable use to save those memories in the future.

Fieldy'sNuts

August 24th, 2017 at 12:09 PM ^

I don't want to create a new thread for this question but idoes anyone here have knowledge of how Michigan Stadium's drainage system works? I took my father-in-law to his first game there last year and he noticed that the field was below ground-level and asked if I knew how the drainage worked. I didn't and hadn't really thought about it before. I imagine there's some kind of electronic pumping system in place but I'm also interested to know how they engineered around that issue back in 1926 given that its an open air stadium that sits well below ground level.