Parks and rec plan gets update
Required five-year plan includes demographics, inventory, list of goals
Gratiot County has updated its five-year parks and recreation plan.
The 31-page document was created by the county’s 10-member parks and recreation commission, which approved the finalized version earlier this month, with input from the public.
A five-year plan, which includes demographic details, inventory of current recreational facilities, and a list of goals and objectives, among other information, is required to qualify for state and federal grants.
The commission gathered input from local residents though a public open house and survey. A public hearing was also held prior to approval.
Members developed the plan by asking what type of improvements they would most like to see at Reed County Park, Hubscher County Park, Luneack Park and
Pompeii Park.
Some of the top items mentioned by for each park were:
• Reed County Park: Rebuild footbridge, add a fishing pier, install electricity for the campground, build a splash pad, construct more pavilions and irrigate the ball fields.
• Hubscher County Park: Stock more game fish in the lake, install a canoe/ kayak launch, expand the playground, pave exterior park roads, build a new concession stand, add a splash pad and provide universal access beach decking.
• Luneack Park: Upgrade restroom facilities, add park benches and pave parking area.
• Pompeii Park: Upgrade restroom facilities, plant trees, add cornhole courts, pave parking areas and upgrade the ball field.
Those ideas were then incorporated into the park commission’s goals and objectives through 2025.
The plan also includes offering more concession stand items, campground upgrades, expanding the trail system in the county with more paved and dirt surface options, developing partnerships with outside organizations to enhance recreational opportunities, promoting special events, developing additional motorized and non-motorized trails, and the acquisition of more park land, among others.
Members of the County Board of Commissioners were scheduled to approve the five-year plan during their Tuesday meeting.
The county parks and recreation department is funded by a voter-approved eight-year, 0.35mill levy that generates about $517,000 annually.
The millage was most recently overwhelmingly renewed by more than a two-to- one vote margin of 5,248 to 2,932 in the August primary election.
For the first time since the levy was initially approved in 2004, 20 percent of the funds will be set aside for local, cities, villages and townships. The money will be allocated in the form of grants that individual municipalities can apply for.