Parks and Recreation Introduction

Parklands and recreational opportunities promote mentally and physically healthier citizens. Washtenaw County is fortunate to have a comprehensive park system providing a wide range of recreation experiences including natural areas for wildlife observation and hiking and picnicking to more active recreation such as swimming, golfing and indoor exercise. Public park and natural areas acquisition programs also play a significant role in promoting a sense of place by integrating parks and open space acquisitions into regional and county-wide open space systems and protecting important natural resources throughout the County.

The Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission is responsible for the provision of a county system of regional parks. The Commission has recently completed a Master Plan Update, 2004-2008, to establish recommendations and priority actions over the next five years. These recommendations are reflected in this element along with additional recommendations for coordinating state, regional and local resources to promote regional and county-wide open space systems, greenways and trails, protection of important natural resources and adequate recreation opportunities for existing and future residents.

Within the County there are 23,206 acres of public park and recreation lands operated by governmental agencies at the state, region, county and local levels. The locations and acres of parkland by jurisdiction are provided on Figure 8-1 (next page) and Table 8-1 (this page), respectively. These facilities provide a wide range of recreation experiences:

State Parks and Recreation Areas:

There are seven State parks in the County ranging in size from a few acres for water access sites, to over 7,000 acres for larger natural areas. These parks are characterized by
scenic quality, passive and water related recreation and conservation of unique natural resources.

Regional Parks and Recreation Areas:

Washtenaw County and the Huron Clinton Metropolitan Authority own and operate 16 regional facilities, providing large scale and special recreational facilities and programs that usually cannot be developed at the local level. These include conservation, canoeing, field games, and court games, fishing, hiking, skiing, swimming and picnicking. The County also operates an indoor recreation center, golf course and 114 acres of active farmland.

Local Parks and Recreation Areas:

All cities and villages in Washtenaw County provide recreational facilities and services facilities for frequent, short-term use by local residents, ranging from half acre mini parks to 535-acre preserves, equipped with trails, athletic fields and picnic grounds. Eight of the 20 townships do not provide any local recreational facilities. While many rural townships have access to large state and regional facilities, many rapidly growing populations and/or suburban developments require local recreational opportunities. The Townships of Ann Arbor, Augusta, Dexter, Lodi, Northfield, Salem and Scio do not provide township parks or recreational facilities.

Other Facilities:

In addition to these public park and recreation facilities, there are numerous opportunities
provided by area schools, universities and private organizations:

• Eleven public school districts, two state universities, and a community college in the County, whichown and manage a significant amount of open space, recreational lands and facilities. The universities and colleges located in Washtenaw County provide recreational facilities totaling 2,800 acres andneighborhood park facilities can also be found in public elementary or middle school facilities.
• Public parks and recreation areas are augmented by the 4,000 acres of private parks and several private golf courses.