Above, the family dogs, Bowie & Kindra, pose in Mushroom Park. | Stephanie Clark
When Stephanie Clark and Hans Fruechtenicht had their first child, Claire, they knew they wanted to move back home to Michigan. (The two had been living in Columbus, Ohio while Stephanie completed her residency.) In 2013, they both landed jobs with the U-M—he as a philanthropy researcher, she as a physician—and made the move to Ann Arbor’s Dicken neighborhood. The west-side wooded enclave stood out as a place where they could affordably raise their young family.
“We liked that the elementary school was within the neighborhood, it has multiple parks, and is close to downtown Ann Arbor,” Stephanie says. “I could imagine our kids playing in the yard and riding bikes to school.” Just a few years later, her vision became reality.
When they were little, Stephanie and Hans’s kids—twelve-year-old Alex and thirteen-year-old Claire—rode their bikes to Dicken Elementary, conveniently located in the heart of their neighborhood. These days, they bike with friends to nearby Mushroom and Las Vegas parks. “We’ll go there and like, hang out on the swings,” says Claire.
“Mushroom Park has been a family favorite for years,” Stephanie adds. “The giant oak tree was recently cut down due to instability from old age, and we’re excited to see it transformed into a playscape.” The city’s plan includes a stump treehouse, a boulder scramble, and vertical climbers.
The neighborhood’s location makes it easy for both kids to venture out on their bikes and explore. “I can ride downtown and go to Pinball Pete’s,” Alex says excitedly—he’s an avid gamer. Claire loves manga and anime, and enjoys riding with her brother to check out what’s new at Vault of Midnight.
Claire and Alex aren’t the only ones who enjoy a good bike ride. Hans is known to jump on his bike and hop on the Ann Arbor Local Loop. Known to local cyclists as the “Loop of Pain,” it’s a series of mountain biking trails connecting Bandemer Park, Olson Park, and Kuebler-Langford Nature Area. “I leave from my garage, pass through a couple of west-side parks, and head north to the river valley trails,” Hans shares enthusiastically. “On the way back, I pass through downtown and will often stop for a drink before I end up back at home. On a typical ride, I’ll go seventeen miles. It’s a real treat not to have to get in a car for this ride.”
Over the years, Stephanie and Hans have become good friends with their neighbors, and enjoy hosting them for bonfires and cookouts. The close-knit community comes together several times a year. “There has been a block party for the past few summers organized by a neighbor, complete with a food truck, lawn games borrowed from the downtown library, face painting, and music,” Stephanie shares. “Halloween is a big event in the Dicken neighborhood. The kids know which houses traditionally have the best decorations and who passes out full-sized candy bars.”
“White Lotus Farm has amazing baked goods, pizzas, and salads, plus adorable baby goats in the spring,” she adds.
Another family favorite? Taking their four-legged family members on long walks in the nearby woods. Bowie, a five-year-old mutt, and Kindra, a three-year-old Norwegian Buhund, love the trails at Greenview Nature Area, as well as Dicken Woods Nature Area and Saginaw Forest. “Greenview Nature Area has maintained walking trails through meadows and woods,” Stephanie says, and pauses before confessing: “within the woods is a hidden frog pond.” When the pups need to expend a bit more energy, Stephanie enjoys taking them to nearby Veterans Memorial Park, where the city set up an off-leash pop-up dog park in an old baseball diamond.
Stephanie and Hans chose Ann Arbor because of the city experience it offers, though living in Dicken also gives their family easy access to nature. Along the way, they grew their family and fostered community, and now their neighborhood truly feels like home.