City seeks public input on parks plan

Survey available on city’s website

The city of St. Louis is seeking public input on what upgrades they would like to see in local recreational facilities.

City officials are in the process of upgrading its five-year parks and recreation plan, which is required to be eligible to receive Michigan Department of Natural Resources-administered grants.

Area residents can provide their opinions by participating in a 17-question online survey that can be accessed on the city’s website.

There they can evaluate the city’s current parks and other recreational facilities, their appearance, what amenities they would like to see added, their ideas for the potential redevelopment the former Velsicol Chemical Co. plant site, and the importance they place on the preservation of the Pine River, natural areas, and adding more hiking and non-motorized trails and pathways in the community, among others.

The city has six parks, Clapp Memorial Park, Penny Park, Lions Park, Lincoln Street Park, Barnum River Park and Lep

pien Park, as well as the W.T. Morris Memorial Swimming Pool and Hubble Field. It also has one undeveloped parcel.

Those total about 17 acres. In addition, St. Louis Public Schools has 43 acres that includes playgrounds, nature areas, ball fields and other athletic facilities that are available to the public.

Some of the choices residents are being asked if they would like to see added are a splash pad, dog park, disc golf course, bandshell, fishing platforms and picnic pavilions, among several others.

The survey also asks the primary reasons people visit the parks.

The redevelopment of the former 52-acre Velsicol site is a much more long term goal because cleanup of the contaminated property is still ongoing.

But city officials still want to know what type of amenities citizens would like to see there if and when it’s suitable to become a park such as an amphitheater, fitness stations, multi-use sports fields, boat launch, fishing platforms, educational and historical exhibits, and walking paths.

The city council, Board Of Education, school and city administrators and members of the city’s parks and recreation commission, in addition to the public, will all have input into the revised five-year plan.

The online survey will be available for residents to fill out until Tuesday, May 31.

The last time the plan was updated in 2018, about 220 people participated in the survey.

COURTESY PHOTO New playground equipment at Penny Park is just one of the many improvements made to St. Louis parks since the city’s five-year parks and recreation plan was last updated in 2018. Residents now have an opportunity to give their input on what other upgrades they would like to see in the revised plan by taking part in a survey offered on the city’s website until May 31.