County makes draft of new rec plan available

A meeting held in Manchester in early May has helped shape the development of a new draft Five-Year Plan for recreation in Washtenaw County. A copy of the DRAFT 2020-2024 5-Year Recreation Master Plan is available online and ready for review at:  https://www.washtenaw.org/2860/5-Year-Recreation-Master-Plan.  

There are 14 parks, 34 nature preserves, and 6,000 acres of land owned and administered by the Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission (WCPRC); at the meeting held in Manchester, WCPRC staff presented what they do currently and their plans for the future, and then gathered input from Manchester residents on the direction we’d like to see the parks system take for the future.

Three Manchester-area projects were discussed during the May 9 meeting:

• The future canoe/kayak livery operation with put-in access at Sharon Mills County Parks and take out in the River Raisin Park. This project will be part of a collaboration between the village and county, and in fact it was the water trail between the two parks that enabled the village to receive a state grant to construct the park. While the River Raisin Park is now nearly complete, the livery at Sharon Mills is still a few years off.
• The Watkins Lake Trail, a multi-use non-motorized trail connecting the village to Watkins Lake Park and Preserve. Although this is a Manchester Township project, the feasibility study for this trail was funded with a grant from the county. Due to land acquisition, it will likely be 3 or 4 years before the the trail is completed.
• The newly-completed multi-use trail through the village along a disused rail bed. While this trail is a Manchester Village project, it was also partially funded with a grant from the county.

Overall, in a survey of 700 people taken last year, the county prioritized adult fitness and wellness programs, kayak, canoe and paddle board rentals, community festivals and winter programs. The Manchester area also prioritized adult fitness as well as wellness programs and community festivals, but also senior wellness and fitness programs.

As part of the ongoing planning process, there will be a Public Hearing at 6:30 pm on Wednesday, September 25, 2019, at the Parks Administrative Offices, located at 2230 Platt Road Ann Arbor, MI 48104. You are invited to attend to learn more about the plan and provide feedback.  If you are unavailable to attend, please feel free to email Kira Macyda, Principal Park Planner, at macydak@washtenaw.org with any comments.

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.