M O N R O E C OUNTY 2
PARKS, TRAILS & RECREATION MASTER PLAN
D R A F T F O R P U B L I C R EVIEW 2 0 1 9 - 2 0 2 3
Acknowledgements
A CKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Monroe County Board of Commissioners J. Henry Lievens, District #9, Chairman Gary Wilmoth, District #7, Vice-Chairman David C. Hoffman, District #1 Mark Brant, District #2 Dawn Asper, District #3 George L. Jondro, District #4 Jason R. Turner, District #5 Jerry A. Oley, District #6 Greg Moore, Jr., District #8
Monroe County Parks Commission Millard Nieswender, Chairman Brian Hoppert, Vice Chairman Russel “Rusty” Davis Connie Velliquette Larry Van Wasshenova David Hoffman, County Board of Commissioners Floreine Mentel, County Planning Commission Greg Stewart, Board of County Road Commissioners David Thompson, County Drain Commissioner
Monroe County S t a f f Michael Bosanac, Administrator/Chief Financial Officer Annamarie Osment, Operations Coordinator Ryan Simmons, County Planning Department
Adopted by the Monroe County Board of Commissioners on ______
Assisted by The Mannik & Smith Group, Inc.
MONROE COUNTY Parks, Trails and Recreation Master Plan | Draft 10-23-18 for Public Review Page i
Contents
C ONTENT S
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...... i
CONTENTS ...... iii
INTRODUCTION PLANNING PROCESS ...... 1 WHAT THIS PLAN CONTAINS ...... 2 DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANNING AREA ...... 2
COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION POPULATION TRENDS ...... 3 POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS ...... 6 LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS ...... 9 NATURAL FEATURES ...... 10
ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE ROLE OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION ...... 13 ADMINISTRATION ...... 14 FUNDING AND BUDGET ...... 14 VOLUNTEERS & PARTNERSHIPS ...... 16
PARK AND RECREATION INVENTORY PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITIES WITHIN MONROE COUNTY ...... 17 Monroe County Parks ...... 17 Federal and State Parks and Recreation Areas ...... 22 City and Township Community Parks...... 25 Local Neighborhood & Subdivision Parks...... 28 School Recreation Facilities ...... 32 Public Access Sites...... 34 Campgrounds ...... 36 Golf Courses ...... 37 Marinas ...... 39 Gun Clubs / Shooting Ranges ...... 41 Miscellaneous Recreational Facilities ...... 43 RECREATION FACILITIES IN ADJACENT COUNTIES ...... 45 LAND TRAILS ...... 46 WATER TRAILS ...... 49 ACCESSIBILITY ASSESSMENT AND GRANT-ASSISTED PROJECTS ...... 51
NEEDS ASSESSMENT PARK ACREAGE COMPARISON ...... 53 STATE AND NATIONAL RECREATION TRENDS ...... 54 PUBLIC INPUT ...... 55 Park Visitation...... 55 Park Improvements ...... 55 Park Facility Preference ...... 57
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Park Priorities...... 57 Support ...... 57 PUBLIC MEETING ...... 58 PUBLIC REVIEW AND PUBLIC HEARING...... 60
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES GOAL 1. PARK MAINTENANCE AND IMPROVEMENT ...... 61 GOAL 2. LAND AND WATER TRAILS ...... 61 GOAL 3. COMMUNITY AWARENESS AND SUPPORT ...... 62 GOAL 4. PARK LAND ACQUISITION ...... 62 GOAL 5. PARTNERSHIPS ...... 62
ACTION PROGRAM ACTION PLAN ...... 63 PROJECT SCHEDULE ...... 72 IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES ...... 74
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS COMMUNITY SURVEY ...... 79 NOTICE OF DRAFT PLAN AVAILABILITY FOR PUBLIC REVIEW AND PUBLIC HEARING ...... 95 MINUTES OF PUBLIC HEARING ...... 96 MONROE COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION RESOLUTION ...... 98 MONROE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS RESOLUTION ...... 99 LETTERS OF TRANSMITTAL TO REGIONAL AGENCIES ...... 100
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L I S T O F F IGURES Figure 1. Planning Process ...... 2 Figure 3. Monroe County Population, 2010 ...... 3 Figure 4. Monroe County Population, 1950-2045 ...... 4 Figure 5. Monroe County Natural Features ...... 12 Figure 6. Organizational Chart ...... 13 Figure 7. Monroe County Parks ...... 21 Figure 8. River Raisin Heritage Corridor – East Master Plan ...... 22 Figure 9. Federal and State-Owned Sites...... 24 Figure 10. City and Township Community Parks ...... 27 Figure 11. Local Neighborhood and Subdivision Parks ...... 31 Figure 12. Public Schools in Monroe County ...... 33 Figure 13. Public Access Sites in Monroe County ...... 34 Figure 14. Campgrounds in Monroe County ...... 36 Figure 15. Golf Courses in Monroe County ...... 37 Figure 16. Marinas in Monroe County ...... 39 Figure 17. Shooting Ranges/Sportsmen’s Club in Monroe County ...... 41 Figure 18. Miscellaneous Recreation Facilities in Monroe County ...... 43 Figure 19. Regional Recreation Resources around Monroe County ...... 45 Figure 20. River Raisin Heritage Trail ...... 46 Figure 21. Monroe County Nonmotorized Corridors and Gaps ...... 47 Figure 22. The Iron Belle Trail ...... 48 Figure 23. Detroit Heritage River Water Trail ...... 49 Figure 24. Monroe County Water Trails ...... 50 Figure 25. Heck Park Improvements ...... 64 Figure 26. Nike Park Improvements ...... 65 Figure 27. Vienna Park Improvements ...... 66 Figure 28. Waterloo Park Improvements ...... 67 Figure 29. West County Park Improvements ...... 68 Figure 30. Territorial Park Conceptual Improvements ...... 69 Figure 31. Monroe County Land and Water Trail Concept ...... 70
L I S T O F T ABLES Table 1. Population and Households, 2000 and 2010 ...... 4 Table 2. Population Projections, 2010 and 2045 ...... 5 Table 3. Census Profile, 2010 ...... 6 Table 4. 2008 Land Use Acreage ...... 10 Table 5. 2010 Land Cover ...... 10 Table 6. 2017-2018 Budget: General Fund - Parks and Recreation & Parks and Recreation Fund - Maintenance ..... 14 Table 7. 2017 Recommended Capital Improvement Projects ...... 15 Table 8. Monroe County Parks and Recreation Facilities ...... 20 Table 9. Federal and State-Owned Sites in Monroe County...... 23 Table 10. City and Township Community Parks in Monroe County ...... 25 Table 11. Neighborhood and Subdivision Parks in Monroe County ...... 28 Table 12. Public School Sites in Monroe County ...... 32 Table 13. Public Access Sites in Monroe County ...... 35 Table 14. Campgrounds in Monroe County ...... 36 Table 15. Golf Courses in Monroe County ...... 38
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Table 16. Marinas in Monroe County ...... 40 Table 17. Shooting Ranges and Sportsmen’s Clubs in Monroe County ...... 42 Table 18. Miscellaneous Recreation Facilities in Monroe County ...... 44 Table 19. Accessibility Assessment ...... 51 Table 20. Grant Assisted Projects ...... 52 Table 21. Comparison to Suggested Parkland Acreage Standards ...... 53 Table 22. National Sports Participation, 2015 ...... 54 Table 23. Summary of Park Improvement Suggestions ...... 58 Table 24. Capital Improvement Schedule ...... 72
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I NTRODUCTIO N
Parks, trails, and recreation in Monroe County provides a wide range of community benefits. Recreation contributes to the mental and physical health of county residents, providing a place for exercise, physical activity, relaxation, play, and sports. Parks provide valuable open space and help to protect environmental resources. The economy of Monroe County depends heavily on tourism, recreation, and the enjoyment derived from living, working, and playing in a community which is able to provide a wide range of recreational and leisure time pursuits. Monroe County’s “quality of life” is linked to the recreational and leisure time opportunities which parks and recreation provide – and in turn, this “quality of life” serves as a stimulus in attracting economic development to the community.
The purpose of the Monroe County Parks, Trails, and Recreation Master Plan is to guide recreation planning and development efforts of the County over the next five-year period, through 2023. The Plan identifies existing recreational opportunities, assesses the need for future recreational needs, provides direction for the future development of parks, and presents strategies to meet the growing recreational demands of a changing population.
This is the seventh comprehensive County recreation plan. The first plan was written in 1985 as an element of the Monroe County Comprehensive Plan update. It was subsequently revised and updated in 1991, 1997, 2002, 2007, and 2012. All of these plans served to give direction to the development and improvement of Monroe County’s park system over the past 33 years. The new revised and updated Plan is intended to meet state standards for community recreation planning that are necessary to gain eligibility for grant programs.
P L A N N I N G P ROCESS The process used to generate the Plan consisted of three phases which are described below.
1. Where are we now? In this phase, the County’s demographics and the parks administration were reviewed and updated. The County parks and trails were examined, recorded, and mapped to document existing resources and begin to assess their conditions. The information is organized into three main categories: community description, administrative structure, and park inventory.
2. Where do we want to be? The second phase in the planning process consisted of an analysis of the community's parks to determine deficiencies and needs. Public input was sought to solicit ideas and suggestions from the community about recreation preferences through an online questionnaire and at a public meeting. Input was also solicited from County officials, community stakeholders, and staff.
3. How do we get there? Once needs were identified, the final phase involved the development of an action plan to support the community's vision for the park system and provide for park and trail planning and development projects. Recommended projects were summarized in a capital improvement schedule, along with strategies for implementation. This phase also included preparation of a full draft of the Plan, which was presented to the County Park and Recreation Commission as well as the public for review and comment prior to adoption.
MONROE COUNTY Parks, Trails and Recreation Master Plan | Draft 10-23-18 for Public Review Page 1 Introduction
The following diagram illustrates the planning process and how it corresponds to the MDNR suggested format described earlier.
Figure 1. Planning Process MDNR Suggested Format Description of Planning Process Community Description Community Description Where are we now? Administrative Structure Administrative Structure Existing Parks and Trails Parks and Recreation Inventory
Where do we want to go? Deficiencies and Needs Needs Assessment & Public participation
Goals and Objectives How do we get there? Master Plan Action Program Plan Adoption
W H A T T H I S P L A N C ONTAINS The Monroe County Parks, Trails and Recreation Master Plan follows the format suggested by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) in the Guidelines for the Development of Community Park, Recreation, Open Space and Greenway Plans (2018). The first chapter, Community Description, includes a summary on both the social and physical characteristics of the County. The Administrative Structure chapter includes a description of how parks and recreation services are administered in Monroe County including budget and funding information. The next chapter, Park Inventory, describes the existing County parks as well as those of the state and the region located nearby. This chapter also includes an accessibility assessment and a description of the County’s grant- assisted park projects. The Needs Assessment portion of the Plan presents the input received from local officials, staff, and residents, which helped in formulating the Goals and Objectives and Action Program chapters. The Action Program chapter outlines an action plan with strategies for implementation. The final chapter, Supporting Documents, includes some of the detailed information gathered through the planning process as well as the official resolutions and notices documenting the plan's adoption by the County Board of Commissioners.
D ESCRIPTION OF THE P L A N N I N G A REA Figure 2. Regional Setting Monroe County is the jurisdiction of this Washtenaw County Wayne Plan. Located in the southeastern corner of Monroe County County Michigan, Monroe County is bounded on the east by Lake Erie, on the west by Lenawee
County, on the south by Lucas County and Michigan
Toledo, Ohio, and on the north by Wayne County and Washtenaw Counties. Although the
County is influenced by the large urban Lenawee areas of Detroit and Toledo, it has remained, for the most part, a rural area with mixture of small and medium sized towns. Lucas County
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C OMMU N I T Y D ESCRIPTION
The first three chapters of the Plan provide information on the social and physical characteristics of the County, the administration of parks and recreation services, and the existing park facilities to gain an understanding of the opportunities the County has to offer.
P OPULATION T RENDS Monroe County residents consist of a diverse population base with diverse recreational needs. Anticipated changes in the size, distribution, and age composition of the population will affect the need for current and future recreational facilities.
According to the most recent census information (2010), Monroe County is home to 152,021 people, an increase of 4.2% from the 2000 figure of 145,945. The most recent population estimate for the County is 148,831 (July 2017, SEMCOG), indicating a relatively stable population base. There are two major centers of population in the County – the Monroe area, which includes the City of Monroe, Monroe and Frenchtown townships, and the Bedford area, which encompasses Bedford, Erie, and Whiteford Townships and the City of Luna Pier. The rest of the County is rural in nature, with several small towns and villages distributed throughout. High concentrations of low-income persons, elderly persons, and persons with disabilities tend to be located in the urbanized communities of Luna Pier, City of Monroe, and the Village of Carleton.
Figure 3. Monroe County Population, 2010
Monroe Area
Bedford Area
Source: Census 2010
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Population projections for Monroe County predict a slight increase in population, with the number of persons increasing 2.8% to 156,274 between 2010 and 2045 and the number of households increasing by 11.3% from 58,230 to 64,838. These projections, which were developed by the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG, 2017), indicate that the County’s population will continue to grow and will continue to be concentrated in the Monroe and Bedford areas. The recreational needs of County residents will most likely continue to grow in the future and will continue to be strongest near those areas with the greatest concentrations of population, although the growth of areas that are currently rural will create additional needs for recreational facilities in outlying areas.
Figure 4. Monroe County Population, 1950-2045
2045
Source: US Decennial Census & SEMCOG 2045 Regional Development Forecast
Table 1. Population and Households, 2000 and 2010 Population Households 2000 2010 % change 2000 2010 % change Monroe County 145,945 152,021 4.2% 53,772 58,230 8.3% Ash Township 5,048 5,438 7.7% 1,803 2,050 13.7% Bedford Township 28,846 31,085 7.8% 10,327 11,885 15.1% Berlin Township 5,154 7,206 39.8% 1,882 2,575 36.8% Village of Carleton 2,562 2,345 -8.5% 998 953 -4.5% Dundee Township 2,728 2,802 2.7% 978 1,026 4.9% Village of Dundee 3,613 3,957 9.5% 1,389 1,539 10.8% Erie Township 4,549 4,517 -0.7% 1,789 1,781 -0.4% Village of Estral Beach 486 418 -14.0% 179 183 2.2% Exeter Township 3,212 3,406 6.0% 1,092 1,222 11.9% Frenchtown Township 20,777 20,428 -1.7% 7,733 7,958 2.9% Ida Township 4,944 4,964 0.4% 1,622 1,751 8.0% La Salle Township 5,001 4,894 -2.1% 1,765 1,832 3.8% London Township 3,024 3,048 0.8% 1,009 1,102 9.2% City of Luna Pier 1,483 1,436 -3.2% 592 608 2.7%
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Population Households Village of Maybee 505 562 11.3% 170 205 20.6% City of Milan 1,720 2,066 20.1% 684 808 18.1% Milan Township 1,660 1,601 -3.6% 610 613 0.5% Monroe Township 13,491 14,568 8.0% 5,312 5,719 7.7% City of Monroe 22,076 20,733 -6.1% 8,594 8,238 -4.1% City of Petersburg 1,157 1,146 -1.0% 423 449 6.1% Raisinville Township 4,911 5,816 18.4% 1,691 2,094 23.8% Village of S. Rockwood 1,284 1,675 30.5% 450 687 52.7% Summerfield Township 3,233 3,308 2.3% 1,098 1,195 8.8% Whiteford Township 4,481 4,602 2.7% 1,582 1,757 11.1% Source: Census 2000 & 2010
Table 2. Population Projections, 2010 and 2045 Community 2010 2017 2020 2030 2040 2045 Change 2010-2045 Monroe County 152,021 148,831 149,123 152,790 156,166 156,274 4,253 2.8% Ash Township 5,438 5,256 5,527 5,326 5,337 5,239 -199 -3.7% Bedford Township 31,085 30,638 31,911 32,974 34,006 34,237 3,152 10.1% Berlin Township 7,206 7,098 7,278 7,756 7,707 7,729 523 7.3% Village of Carleton 2,345 2,110 2,075 2,121 2,117 2,148 -197 -8.4% Village of Dundee 3,957 3,844 3,969 4,138 4,388 4,423 466 11.8% Dundee Township 2,802 2,387 2,495 2,680 2,986 2,991 189 6.7% Erie Township 4,517 4,929 4,398 4,431 4,355 4,285 -232 -5.1% Estral Beach 418 483 441 424 447 444 26 6.2% Exeter Township 3,406 3,645 3,552 3,424 3,326 3,240 -166 -4.9% Frenchtown Township 20,428 21,229 20,209 21,440 22,240 22,156 1,728 8.5% Ida Township 4,964 4,727 4,049 4,144 4,045 3,970 -994 -20.0% LaSalle Township 4,894 4,764 4,462 4,527 4,446 4,438 -456 -9.3% London Township 3,048 2,850 2,630 2,645 2,654 2,653 -395 -13.0% City of Luna Pier 1,436 1,401 1,470 1,484 1,534 1,505 69 4.8% Village of Maybee 562 443 435 422 412 390 -172 -30.6% City of Milan 2,066 2,131 2,036 2,102 2,063 2,077 11 0.5% Milan Township 1,601 1,557 1,437 1,479 2,116 2,137 536 33.5% City of Monroe 20,733 20,006 20,688 20,719 20,628 20,834 101 0.5% Monroe Township 14,568 13,815 14,038 14,223 14,735 14,816 248 1.7% City of Petersburg 1,146 1,081 1,037 1,021 1,001 1,017 -129 -11.3% Raisinville Township 5,816 5,899 6,015 6,179 6,279 6,254 438 7.5% Village of S. Rockwood 1,675 1,503 1,627 1,622 1,668 1,639 -36 -2.1% Summerfield Township 3,308 3,012 2,861 2,841 2,877 2,851 -457 -13.8 Whiteford Township 4,602 4,508 4,483 4,668 4,799 4,801 199 4.3% Source: Census 2010 and SEMCOG 2045 Regional Development Forecast
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P OPULATION C HARACTERISTICS In addition to examining the numbers and distribution of people within Monroe County, it is important to understand something of the population characteristics of the community. Table 3 presents information on race, age, education, employment, income, disability status, and housing characteristics of Monroe County.
Table 3. Census Profile, 2010 number % number % TOTAL POPULATION 152,021 100.0%
SEX Male 75,013 49.3% Female 77,008 50.7%
AGE Under 5 years 8,719 5.7% 45 to 49 years 12,491 8.2% 5 to 9 years 9,841 6.5% 50 to 54 years 12,744 8.4% 10 to 14 years 11,053 7.3% 55 to 59 years 11,237 7.4% 15 to 19 years 11,219 7.4% 60 to 64 years 9,009 20 to 24 years 8,608 5.7% 65 to 69 years 6,493 25 to 29 years 8,146 5.4% 70 to 74 years 4,678 30 to 34 years 8,371 5.5% 75 to 79 years 3,540 35 to 39 years 9,464 6.2% 80 to 84 years 3,072 40 to 44 years 10,727 7.1% 85+ years 2,609
MEDIAN AGE (years) 40.3
OLDER ADULTS AND YOUTH 60 and over 29,401 Under 18 36,677 65 and over 20,392 5 to 17 27,958 65 to 84 17,783 Under 5 8,719 85 and Over 2,609
POPULATION & HOUSEHOLDS Group Quarters Population 1,462 Households (Occupied Units) 58,230 Household Population 150,559 Residential Vacancy Rate 7.5% Housing Units 62,971 Average Household Size 2.59
HOUSEHOLD TYPES With Seniors 65+ 14,466 Live Alone, <65 8,251 Without Seniors 43,764 2+ Persons, With children 19,539 Live Alone, 65+ 5,447 2+ Persons, Without children 24,993
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number % number % RACE AND HISPANIC ORIGIN Non-Hispanic 147,354 96.9% Hispanic 4,667 3.1% White 140,609 92.5% Black 3,144 2.1% Asian 837 0.6% Multi-Racial 2,265 1.5% Other 499 0.3%
HIGHEST LEVEL OF EDUCATIONAL Graduate / Professional Degree 6,033 5.9% Some College, No Degree 24,433 24.0% Bachelor's Degree 11,328 11.1% High School Graduate 38,574 37.8% Associate Degree 9,082 8.9% Not High School Graduate 12,509 12.3%
JOBS BY INDUSTRY Natural Resources, Mining & Construction 5,515 10.3% Services to Households & Firms 5,253 9.8% Manufacturing 5,171 9.6% Private Education & Healthcare 6,182 11.5% Wholesale Trade, 4,853 9.0% Leisure & Hospitality 5,643 10.5% Transportation, Warehousing & Utilities 0 0.0% Government 5,917 11.0% Retail Trade 6,548 12.2% Knowledge-based Services 8,679 16.1%
POVERTY Persons in Poverty 13,552 9.0% Households in Poverty 5,375 9.2%
INCOME Median Household Income (in 2010 $) $55,366 Per Capita Income (in 2010 $) $25,520
ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME $200,000 or more 1,051 1.8% $35,000 to $39,999 2,940 5.0% $150,000 to $199,999 1,878 3.2% $30,000 to $34,999 3,141 5.4% $125,000 to $149,999 2,993 5.1% $25,000 to $29,999 2,977 5.1% $100,000 to $124,999 5,391 9.2% $20,000 to $24,999 2,923 5.0% $75,000 to $99,999 8,973 15.4% $15,000 to $19,999 2,816 4.8% $60,000 to $74,999 6,676 11.5% $10,000 to $14,999 2,609 4.5% $50,000 to $59,999 5,311 9.1% Less than $10,000 3,235 5.5% $45,000 to $49,999 2,379 4.1% $40,000 to $44,999 3,005 5.2%
HOUSING TYPE Single Family Detached 47,129 74.9% Mobile Home 5,864 9.3% Duplex 1,952 3.1% Other 7 0.0% Townhouse / Attached Condo 1,417 2.3% Multi-Unit Apartment 6,561 10.4%
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number % number % HOUSING TENURE Owner occupied 46,496 73.8% Vacant 4,741 7.5% Renter occupied 11,734 18.6% Total Housing Units 62,971 100.0%
HOUSING VALUE Median housing value $161,800 Median gross rent $733
HOUSING VALUE $1,000,000 or more 206 0.4% $80,000 to $99,999 2,530 5.4% $500,000 to $999,999 506 1.1% $60,000 to $79,999 1,819 3.9% $300,000 to $499,999 4,678 9.9% $40,000 to $59,999 1,605 3.4% $250,000 to $299,999 3,213 6.8% $30,000 to $39,999 698 1.5% $200,000 to $249,999 6,724 14.3% $20,000 to $29,999 828 1.8% $175,000 to $199,999 4,367 9.3% $10,000 to $19,999 1,315 2.8% $150,000 to $174,999 7,251 15.4% Less than $10,000 1,378 2.9% $100,000 to $124,999 4,931 10.5%
DISABILITY STATUS Total civilian noninstitutionalized pop. 148,819 100.0% with a disability 18,516 12.4%
Population under 5 years 8,185 100.0% with a disability 66 0.8% with a vision difficulty 0 0.0% with a hearing difficulty 66 0.8%
Population 5 to 17 years 27,885 100.0% with a disability 915 3.3% with a cognitive difficulty 879 3.2% with a hearing difficulty 189 0.7% with an ambulatory difficulty 47 0.2% with a vision difficulty 36 0.1% with a self-care difficulty 430 1.5%
Population 18 to 64 years 94,564 100.0% with a disability 10,704 11.3% with an ambulatory difficulty 4,752 5.0% with a hearing difficulty 3,783 4.0% with a self-care difficulty 1,929 2.0% with a vision difficulty 969 1.0% with an ind. living difficulty 3,565 3.8% with a cognitive difficulty 4,186 4.4%
Population 65 years and over 18,185 100.0% with a disability 6,831 37.6% with an ambulatory difficulty 3,944 21.7% with a hearing difficulty 3,196 17.6% with a self-care difficulty 1,220 6.7% with a vision difficulty 1,064 5.9% with an ind. living difficulty 2,489 13.7% with a cognitive difficulty 1,396 7.7% Source: Census 2010 (SF1) & 2010 American Community Survey (3-year and 5-year)
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L A N D U S E A N D D EVELOPMENT P ATTERNS Monroe County has a particularly rich history, which is reflected in its many significant archeological and historical sites. The county‘s historic patterns of growth and development has resulted not only in important sites and artifacts, but in a landscape that gives the county a unique sense of place.
Early Settlements The earliest known inhabitants were Native Americans, primarily from the Ottawa and Pottawatomi tribes. While French explorers and missionaries from Montreal visited the area beginning in the late 1600s, the first European settlers in the area were French Canadians who settled in the 1780s. The Ottawa and Pottawatomi natives occupied villages in the area during the period prior to 1600. A variety of archeological sites representing encampments, burial grounds, and villages have been found throughout the County. Many trails were cut through the Michigan wilderness because of the migratory lifestyle of these Native Americans. These early trails are still visible today in the form of highways, which were developed along their routes.
French Canadians arrived in the 1780’s and established the first permanent settlement along the River Raisin in the area now known as the City of Monroe. A trading post and fort were established here in 1778. Francois Navarre was the first European settler in 1780. The first settlement was called French Town when about 100 French families came here from Detroit and Canada. Additional small settlements were founded along some of the smaller rivers, including Stony Creek, Sandy Creek, Otter Creek, and La Plaisance Creek.
The original French and French-Canadian settlers divided land using a traditional system of parceling property into long, narrow lots, each of which had frontage on the river, which was the main source of water, transportation, commerce, and communication. These French Claims, also known as long-lots or ribbon farms, persist today and give the landscape in eastern Monroe County a unique quality. It was not until the early 1800s that the United States government survey, with its system of towns, ranges, and sections began to split up the land into the more familiar checkerboard pattern, which covers the rest of the County and most of the western United States.
After the War of 1812, settlers began to arrive in large numbers to southeast Michigan. American settlers arrived in the area, established a small community and changed French Town to Monroe in honor of the president. Rural homesteads were established throughout the area, with land being cleared, farms established, industries developed, and communities built. Small towns began to be platted including Milan (1831), Dundee (1836), Petersburg (1836), South Rockwood (1863), Carleton (1872), and Maybee (1873).
Monroe was established as a County in July 1817. Monroe County at first included the land now known as Lenawee and Washtenaw counties and portions of Wayne and Jackson counties in Michigan and the northerly portion of what is now Lucas County, Ohio and the City of Toledo. Lenawee County was attached to Monroe County for administration purposes from 1822 to 1826. Controversy over the county‘s southern boundaries culminated in the bloodless Michigan-Ohio War of 1836. To settle this dispute, the United States Congress gave the State of Ohio the southern portion of Monroe County lands that included what is now the City of Toledo (Port Lawrence). In return, Michigan received land that is now known as Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
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Today’s Land Use Monroe has remained predominately a rural area with over 50% of its land area in cropland. Residential land uses are concentrated in the Monroe and Bedford areas, with other concentrations in the small towns and villages in the County, including South Rockwood, Dundee, Maybee, Petersburg, Luna Pier, Milan, and Carleton. Public utilities, extractive operations, disposal sites, industrial parks, and transportation facilities occupy large areas of the County. The pattern of land use in Monroe County can be described as two major residential areas (Monroe and Bedford areas), connected by a major transportation/utility corridor (I-75, along with railroads and electric transmission lines), located within an agricultural region including scattered smaller towns, forested areas, and wetlands. Forests and wetlands tend to follow river corridors as well as the sandier soils along the US-23 corridor from north to south in the western part of the County. Recent years have seen a more decentralized pattern of growth, with a large amount of land in rural areas of the County being converted to residential uses.
Table 4. 2008 Land Use Acreage Acres Percent Agricultural 193,439.2 54.2% Single-Family Residential 110,715.8 31% Multi-Family Residential 879.7 0.2% Commercial 8,397.8 2.4% Industrial 8,133.8 2.3% Government/Institutional 5,780.3 1.6% Park, Recreation & Open Space 10,066.1 2.8% Airport 316.1 0.1% Transportation, Communication & Utility 14,036.2 3.9% Water 4,980.9 1.4% Total 356,745.8 100% Source: SEMCOG Community Profile
Table 5. 2010 Land Cover Acres Percent Impervious (buildings, roads, driveways, parking lots) 21,486.4 6% Trees (woody vegetation, trees) 66,783.8 18.7% Open Space (agricultural fields, grasslands, turf grass) 257,904.8 72.3% Bare (soil, aggregate piles, unplanted fields) 3,507.4 1% Water (Rivers, lakes, drains, ponds) 7,114.3 2% Total 356,7956.6 100% Source: SEMCOG Community Profile Note: SEMCOG Land Cover data was derived from SEMCOG’s 2010 imagery. Acreages are approximate and have been rounded to the nearest whole number.
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N A T U R A L F EATURES The natural features of Monroe County have played a major role in influencing and attracting growth and development to the area. The County is in an area of little topographic relief with landforms and soils a result of glaciation and its position as a coastal area on the Great Lakes. The soils of Monroe County are generally silt loams and clay loams, with some large areas of sandy soils in the west part of the County. These soils are well suited for agricultural use, especially when drained, but often have limitations for development, primarily due to wetness and inability to support on-site wastewater treatment facilities. Poor drainage and wetness often present challenges in the development of recreational facilities and careful attention needs to be paid to surface and sub-surface drainage when designing recreational sites in most areas of the County.
Surface waters in Monroe County include an extensive Lake Erie coastline as well as a network of rivers, streams, and drains, which, for the most part, flow in an easterly direction draining into Lake Erie. The largest river in the County is the River Raisin. The River Raisin provides great opportunities for outdoor recreation, especially fishing and canoeing, with the large areas of open space fronting the river also having potential for a wide variety of recreational pursuits. The Lake Erie coastal zone also has great potential to provide for recreational needs, including swimming, boating, hunting, and fishing.
Monroe County contains a variety of natural areas, including woodlands, wetlands, shorelines, and open spaces. Woodlands in Monroe County include both upland and lowland hardwood forests. However, little remains of the extensive pre-settlement forest communities of the area, with most of the present woodlands being small, 10- to 60-acre woodlots scattered throughout the County. The remaining woodlands in the County do provide potential for recreation, especially for hiking, natural history in- terpretation, and scenic beauty.
The wetlands in Monroe County are like the woodlands in that the large expanses of pre-settlement wetlands, both coastal and upland, have been reduced to small, scattered areas. Coastal wetlands have been reduced primarily due to shoreline structures such as dikes and seawalls, but significant wetlands exist at Pointe Mouillee, Sterling State Park, Pointe-aux-Peaux State Wildlife Area, Erie Marsh, and Plum Creek Bay. Endangered plant species in Monroe’s coastal wetlands include the Rose Mallow and the American Lotus. Upland wetlands have been reduced due to filling, subsurface drainage, and drain construction undertaken to improve agriculture. Most upland wetlands are forested and are less than 20 acres in size. Both upland and coastal wetlands provide opportunities such as hiking, nature viewing, hunting, and environmental education.
Wildlife resources are an especially important factor in recreational pursuits in Monroe County. Three State Game Areas (Pointe Mouillee, Erie, and Petersburg) provide opportunities for hunting and viewing wildlife. The Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, which includes Lake Erie coastal areas in Monroe County, has a great potential for offering water and wildlife related recreational opportunities. The coastal marshes provide habitat for a great diversity of wildlife, including several endangered or threatened species of reptiles and birds as well as large numbers of migratory waterfowl. Fishing is also a significant wildlife related recreational pursuit. Lake Erie is especially noted for its walleye and perch fisheries, while the River Raisin provides significant opportunities to catch bass, pike, and other game fish.
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Figure 5. Monroe County Natural Features
Source: SEMCOG 2000 Land Use/Land Cover
As a relatively rural area located near the large urban centers of Detroit and Toledo, Monroe County receives large numbers of tourists and tourism is an important element in Monroe County’s economy. Monroe’s location and access to major highways brings in tourists whose destination is Monroe County as well as those who are just passing through. Many of Monroe County’s tourist attractions are related to outdoor recreation. The many marinas and boat ramps along the Lake Erie and River Raisin shorelines attract people from throughout the region, as does the fishing and hunting opportunities of the coastal wetlands. Nature enthusiasts are also drawn to Monroe’s coastal marshes to view the large numbers and diversity of resident and migratory birds. The many orchards, berry farms, nurseries, and other farm related business in the County attract tourists during the appropriate seasons. Visitors interested in his- tory are also drawn to Monroe to visit the River Raisin 1813 battlefield site, which has become the River Raisin National Battlefield Park under the management of the National Park Service, and many of the other historic structures, sites, museums, and festivals throughout the County.
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A DMINISTRATIVE S TRUCTURE
Parks and recreation services in Monroe County is the responsibility of the County Parks and Recreation Commission.
Figure 6. Organizational Chart
Monroe County Board of Commissioners
County County County Purchasing & Property Parks and Recreation Planning Department and Maintenance Division Commission Planning Commission
Maintenance Policy Planning Improvements Governance Grant Writing Implementation Oversight Advisory
R O L E O F T H E P A R K S A N D R E C R E A T I O N C OMMISSION Monroe County’s recreational facilities are administered by a ten-member Parks and Recreation Commission formed on May 23, 1989 under Public Act 261 of 1965. The Commission members, appointed by the County Board of Commissioners, hold regular meetings on the first Monday of each month, and have special meetings as needed.
The Parks and Recreation Commission is charged with overseeing the operation of the Monroe County parks system under policies and procedures approved by the County Board of Commissioners. This includes studying park facilities, identifying facility, and recreational needs, developing both comprehensive plans and facility plans, recommending rules and regulations regarding behavior in County Parks, and, in general, assuring that the County parks system is operating efficiently and is meeting the needs of the public.
The mission statement of the Parks and Recreation Commission is as follows:
“to plan, acquire, develop, and maintain, in cooperation with all interested individuals and groups, a responsive, efficient, and creative natural resource based park and recreation system available to all citizens, composed of a variety of services, park areas and special facilities that contribute to the well-being of the individual, the family, and the social and economic health of the Monroe County community.”
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A DMINISTRATION The maintenance, management, and development of the County parks is the responsibility of the Operations Coordinator. Prior to 1995, park maintenance was under the Buildings and Grounds Division of the County Auditor, but in 1995 this function was given to the Drain Commissioner’s Office, which already had a work crew and equipment for drain maintenance. In 2003, park maintenance was transferred back to Buildings and Grounds.
The Parks and Recreation Commission works closely with the County Planning Department, which provides staff to the Parks Commission and serves the Commission in an advisory capacity. The Planning Department is involved primarily in recreation planning, facility design, and grant writing.
F UNDING A N D B UDGET The Parks and Recreation budget for 2017 is $194,229 and the amount budgeted for the Parks and Recreation Commission itself ($4,950 for items such as printing, per diem, mileage). The parks budget is derived from the annual county budgeting efforts and is funded through the County’s general fund. This budget includes primarily operations and maintenance of the County parks, but also includes grounds maintenance of several other county properties.
Table 6. 2017-2018 Budget: General Fund - Parks and Recreation & Parks and Recreation Fund - Maintenance GENERAL FUND 2016 2016 PARKS & 2015 AMENDED EXPENDITURES 2017 2018 RECREATION ACCOUNT DESCRIPTION ACTUAL BUDGET EXPECTED BUDGET BUDGET THROUGH THROUGH SEPTEMBER DECEMBER 101-75100-705000 SALARIES AND WAGES 41,219 39,730 39,730 39,567 39,806 101-75100-707100 PART TIME EMPLOYEES 18,557 14,280 14,280 14,520 14,666 101-75100-709000 LONGEVITY 675 700 700 725 750 101-75100-711000 OVERTIME PAY-STRAIGHT TIME - 400 400 400 404 101-75100-711100 OVERTIME-TIME AND 1/2 4,106 3,000 3,000 3,000 3,030 101-75100-715000 SOCIAL SECURITY 4,842 4,599 4,599 4,454 4,488 101-75100-716000 EMPLOYERS-RETIREMENT 10,436 11,299 11,299 11,918 12,159 101-75100-716010 EMPLOYERS-RET HEALTH CARE 21,178 20,846 20,846 24,317 24,064 101-75100-717000 UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE 63 59 59 29 30 101-75100-718000 WORKERS COMPENSATION 862 287 287 139 97 INSURANCE 101-75100-719000 HEALTH INSURANCE 5,264 5,217 5,217 5,177 5,384 101-75100-720000 LIFE INSURANCE 74 79 79 79 79 101-75100-721000 OPTICAL INSURANCE 42 37 37 24 24 101-75100-722000 DENTAL INSURANCE 234 265 265 289 294 101-75100-723000 DISABILITY INSURANCE 603 591 591 491 507 101-75100-725000 ACCRUED WAGES AND FRINGES (2,979) - - - - 101-75100-741000 OPERATING SUPPLIES 3,980 4,800 4,800 4,800 4,800 101-75100-744000 UNIFORMS & CLOTHING 273 250 250 250 250 101-75100-748000 FUEL, GAS & OIL 4,484 4,500 4,500 5,500 5,500 101-75100-801600 CONTRACT SERVICES-OTHER 45,290 40,000 40,000 43,000 43,000 101-75100-851000 TELEPHONE 773 500 500 750 750 101-75100-911000 GENERAL LIABILITY INSURANCE 702 1,000 1,000 600 618 101-75100-921000 ELECTRICITY 2,972 4,000 4,000 4,000 4,000 101-75100-922000 WATER AND SEWAGE 1,495 200 200 200 200
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GENERAL FUND 2016 2016 PARKS & 2015 AMENDED EXPENDITURES 2017 2018 RECREATION ACCOUNT DESCRIPTION ACTUAL BUDGET EXPECTED BUDGET BUDGET 101-75100-934000 MAINTENANCE-EQUIPMENT 3,202 4,000 4,000 4,000 4,000 101-75100-935010 MAINTENANCE-PARKS & GROUNDS 29,277 31,571 31,571 25,500 25,500 101-75100-935050 MAINT-HECK PARK VETERAN'S - 500 500 500 500 AREA 101-75100-977000 C.O.-MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT - - - - - 101-75100-981000 CAPITAL OUTLAY-VEHICLES - 40,000 40,000 - - TOTAL $197,623 $232,710 $Z232,710 $194,229 $194,900
PARKS & 2016 2016 RECREATION 2015 AMENDED EXPENDITURES 2017 2018 MAINTENANCE ACCOUNT DESCRIPTION ACTUAL BUDGET EXPECTED BUDGET BUDGET THROUGH THROUGH SEPTEMBER DECEMBER 208-75110-729000 PRINTING AND IMAGING - 200 200 200 200 208-75110-810000 BOARD PER DIEM 1,575 3,000 3,000 3,000 3,000 208-75110-810020 BOARD MEMBERS TRAVEL 652 250 250 250 250 208-75110-935010 MAINTENANCE-PARKS & GROUNDS 2,563 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500 208-75140-741000 OPERATING SUPPLIES 200 - - - - 208-75140-801600 CONTRACT SERVICES-OTHER 4,350 - - - - TOTAL $9,340 $4,950 $4,950 $4,950 $4,950
Park improvement funding come from a separate budget developed as part of an overall County capital improvements planning process. Several park projects were included in the 2017 list of recommended capital improvement projects.
Table 7. 2017 Recommended Capital Improvement Projects Projects Total Cost Rank Upgrade Waterloo Park Playground $40,000 1 Nike Park Asphalt Paving $25,000 2 Nike Park Basketball & Volleyball $26,500 3 Land Purchases-Foreclosure Fund $20,000 4 Total $111,500
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V O L U N T E E R S & P ARTNERSHIPS The Monroe County parks system has benefitted from its relationship with volunteers and outside public and private agencies. Volunteer groups representing specific recreational pursuits have been given the opportunity to improve the County parks with their volunteer efforts. Radio controlled aircrafts, dog- training groups, sports leagues, disc golfers, equestrians, and other park user groups have voluntarily made improvements to the County parks while pursuing their recreational activities. Scout groups, 4H clubs, and student groups have planted trees, improved trails, and improved habitat in the County parks. Although not entirely voluntarily, jail inmates have proved to be a valuable source of labor in county parks and the relationship with the County Sheriff and Work Release Program has benefited both the parks and the program. County businesses have frequently donated supplies and materials to the County parks and have volunteered time and labor as well. Garden clubs have planted and maintained landscape areas.
One of the largest volunteer efforts in the parks has been the work of the Vietnam Veterans who have adopted a portion of Heck Park. The park has benefitted from the dedicated efforts of the VVA Chapter 142 and others for many years.
A new partnership with the River Raisin National Battlefield Park has resulted in enhanced directional signage to West County Park and the Macon Reservation, which will increase use and public awareness of the park, connect visitors with the existing system, and promote volunteerism. The National Park Service is also adding the Macon Reservation to the National Park Unigrid brochures distributed to thousands of individuals annually.
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P A R K A N D R ECREATION I NVENTORY
The residents of Monroe County have a variety of available parks and recreational resources. These facilities vary in terms of ownership (Federal, State, county, local, schools, private), size (small neighborhood playgrounds of less than one acre to large nature preserves and State Game Areas with thousands of acres), and type (playgrounds, sports facilities, community parks, nature preserve, etc.). The purpose of this section of the plan is to describe the full range of recreational facilities in and around Monroe County.
P A R K S A N D R E C R E A T I O N F ACILITIES WITHIN M O N R O E C OUNTY Monroe County owns and operates five County parks and several other recreation properties. Federal and State Parks and Recreation Areas or Game Lands also account for a sizable portion of land in the County, particularly along Lake Erie. The local units of government within the County also own and operate several community parks. In addition, many smaller neighborhood parks are located within residential subdivisions to serve the needs of those residents. There are also public and private schools, and privately owned recreational facilities in the area. Special use recreation facilities include campgrounds, golf courses, marinas, shooting ranges or sportsmen’s clubs, and more.
Monroe County Parks Monroe County has five County parks under the jurisdiction of the Parks and Recreation Commission consisting of 221 acres of land. The County parks are intended to serve the entire county, and all the parks (except West County Park) have restrooms, parking areas, play equipment, and picnic shelters.
Heck Park, located on N. Dixie Highway in Frenchtown Township, was jointly owned and operated with the City of Monroe, but is now under the sole ownership of Monroe County. A Vietnam Veterans Memorial has been developed at the site which is overseen by a special Heck Park Committee, which has members from the Parks and Recreation Commission, the County Board, and the Vietnam Veterans Chapter 142. After having been closed for over a year due to a road/railroad grade separation construction project, Heck Park has since been improved by the addition of a small Vietnam War museum and pavilion to the existing veterans’ memorials in the park. A sledding hill was developed in conjunction with the road project, and, more recently, a 2007 grant has allowed the development of new parking areas, walking paths, shelters, play and exercise areas, basketball courts, benches, grills, landscaping, and drainage improvements. A habitat improvement project has recently (2012) converted a portion of mowed lawn to native prairie vegetation.
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Nike Park, located on Newport Road in Frenchtown Township, was originally part of a World War II Nike missile base and was acquired from the federal government. A 1999 MDNR grant allowed for the development of an accessible play area, pathways, and parking improvements. Also present in this park is a picnic area, play equipment, and large areas of open space. Cooperative agreements with private clubs have resulted in the development of a model aircraft flying area and an area for beagle training and competitions. An antique tractor show, which attracts visitors from near and far, is a major annual event at the park. A small section of a remote corner of the park is difficult to access due to its location on the opposite side of a county drain and is farmed by the adjacent owner. A habitat improvement project has recently (2011) converted a portion of mowed lawn to native prairie vegetation.
Vienna Park, located in Bedford Township, was originally acquired from the State Highway Department after it was used, in part, as a sand pit for road construction. The park has a small pond and natural area as well as active recreational facilities. A 1999 grant also allowed for the development of trails and new play equipment at this park. In 2001, the disc golf course was improved and expanded to 18 holes. Improvements that are more recent include paved parking areas, greatly improved ball diamonds, and the development of soccer fields. A habitat improvement project has recently (2011) converted a portion of mowed lawn to native prairie vegetation.
Waterloo Park is located on the River Raisin at the end of Mulhollen Drive in Monroe Township. Although it is the smallest County park, with only nine acres, it has many facilities, including a fishing pier, canoe landing, paved path, exercise equipment, and playground, all designed to be accessible. The park is a popular site for shelter rentals and serves as the site of an annual fishing derby.
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West County Park consists of 60 acres on Rightmire Road in Dundee Township. Much of this site, which fronts the River Raisin and was formerly mostly farmland, was enrolled in the USDA Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) in 2002 and was planted to a mixture of native trees, shrubs, grasses, and wildflowers. The addition of trails, small shelters, parking areas, and benches have made this site an attractive nature preserve. A Native American memorial project was initiated in 2010 to create a small gathering space and tribute area. Additional trails and river viewing areas were recently constructed.
In addition to the five main County parks, Monroe County owns and/or maintains other properties which benefit the public and serve as sites for outdoor recreation:
Loranger Square, the Monroe courthouse square in downtown Monroe contains about 1.5 acres of lawns and landscaped areas, a large pavilion, a fountain, picnic tables, plazas, and open space used for a wide variety of public purposes including festivals, picnics, concerts, weddings, and political rallies.
River Raisin Access Site is owned by Raisinville Township but operated by Monroe County. Located north of the Ida-Maybee Road Bridge over the River, it contains about 2 acres of land with a gravel parking area and a canoe/kayak launch on the River Raisin.
St. Antoine’s Cemetery in the City of Monroe consists of about 1.2 acres in the City of Monroe near the River Raisin, which preserves the site of the oldest Catholic cemetery in Monroe. The site was rediscovered in 1999 during construction of a subdivision and was purchased by the county to serve as a memorial. The site contains a small turn- off/parking area, mowed lawn, landscaping, and a walkway leading to memorial monuments.
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Territorial Park, also known as the Navarre- Anderson Trading Post, in Frenchtown Township is a County owned historical site consisting of 5.6 acres of restored and recreated historic structures, a historic schoolhouse repurposed as a country store, interpretive information, and scenic open space along the River Raisin. It is also used as a canoe/kayak landing.
Table 8. Monroe County Parks and Recreation Facilities Park Location Facilities Acres Heck Park City of Monroe Vietnam Veterans Memorial and Museum, parking, 15 restrooms, pavilion (seating approximately 30 adults), paved trails, playground, basketball court, parking, sled hill, grills, playground, exercise court Nike Park Frenchtown Picnic area, soccer fields, playground, model aircraft area, 80 Twp. dog training area, soccer fields, grills, horseshoe pits, parking, portable toilets, 2 picnic pavilions (13 total picnic tables) Vienna Park Bedford 5 ball diamonds, soccer fields, natural area, picnic areas, 57 Township playground, 18-hole disc golf course, grills, horseshoes, parking, portable toilets, 5 picnic pavilions (38 picnic tables) Waterloo Park Monroe Paved walking path, accessible fishing pier, river access, 9 Township canoe landing, exercise court, picnic shelter, grills, playground, horseshoes, parking, portable toilets, 2 picnic pavilions (21 total picnic tables) West County Park Dundee Twp. Natural habitat, trails, river access, benches, shelters, parking 60 area Loranger Square City of Monroe Downtown plaza with a large pavilion, a fountain, picnic 1.5 tables, seating and open space River Raisin Access Site Raisinville Twp. Canoe/kayak launch 2 St Antoine Cemetery City of Monroe Monument and walking path 1.2 Navarre-Anderson Frenchtown Restored and re-created historic structures, school house 5.6 Trading Post & Twp. repurposed as a country store, interpretive information, Territorial Park parking and canoe/kayak landing Total 231.3
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Figure 7. Monroe County Parks
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Federal and S t a t e Parks and Recreation A r e a s The United States government owns and operates two important outdoor recreational facilities in Monroe County. In 2010, the US Department of Interior’s National Park Service took over land formerly owned by Monroe County, as well as other property, to form the River Raisin National Battlefield Park. This site commemorates the 1813 battle, which took place on this location. Recreational facilities include an interpretive museum and outdoor displays and open space. In 2013, a Master Plan for the area around the National Battlefield Site was prepared through a partnership between the Monroe County Historical Society and the City of Monroe with input from the National Park Service and the River Raisin National Battlefield Park Foundation. The goal of the project was to tie together and emphasize the recreational, cultural, ecological, and historic assets of the community. The plan, once established, would incorporate a larger, National Battlefield Site, with distinct activity zones including a visitor center, a recreated French Town settlement, a reenactment zone, and an entertainment zone with a 10,000-person capacity amphitheater, and other features tied to Downtown Monroe and the greater Monroe County region through Elm Avenue, Front Street, and the River Raisin.
Figure 8. River Raisin Heritage Corridor – East Master Plan
Source: River Raisin Heritage Corridor – East Master Plan, 2013
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Recreation Inventory
Another federal site, the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge was established in 2001 by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). It consists of nearly 6,000 acres of unique habitat, including islands, coastal wetlands, marshes, shoals, and waterfront lands within an authorized boundary extending along 48 miles of shoreline, including all of Monroe County’s Lake Erie coastal areas. Units within Monroe County include the Brancheau, Strong, Fix, Lagoona Beach, Ford Marsh, Plum Creek Bay, Lady of the Lake, Holloway, Erie Marsh Preserve, and Gard Island. Not all units are owned by the FWS or are open to the public.
State of Michigan facilities in Monroe County include Sterling State Park, State Game Areas (Erie, Petersburg, and Pte. Mouillee), and public access sites. Sterling State Park is one of Michigan’s most heavily used State Parks, with a campground, swimming beach, hiking trails, fishing, boating, and nature study opportunities. A pedestrian and bicycle connection exists to the park directly from the City of Monroe. The three State Game Areas (Erie, Petersburg, and Pte. Mouillee) offer hunting and fishing, as well as opportunities for hiking and nature study. Other State-owned properties, which are used for recreation, include the rest areas on US-23, I-75, and I-275, as well as public access sites on Bolles Harbor and Swan Creek. The MDOT rest area at Otter Creek contains a playground, which was designed to meet universal accessibility standards.
The State also owns other undeveloped land in the County, which has potential for recreational use. The State Highway Department (MDOT) owns several parcels along I-75 and I-275 which contain ponds (former borrow pits) that have the potential to be turned into parks (Clean Water Beach, a privately- owned recreational facility in Milan Township which was purchased from the state, was once a borrow pit).
Table 9. Federal and State-Owned Sites in Monroe County Park Location Facilities Acres Detroit River International Erie, Berlin,& Visitor center, picnic pavilions, boat dock and pier, 6,000 Wildlife Refuge Frenchtown Twp. trails, hunting, fishing, nature interpretation, wildlife + City of Monroe viewing River Raisin National Battlefield City of Monroe Visitor center, picnic shelter, memorials, 40
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Park Location Facilities Acres Park interpretative signs, open space Sterling State Park City of Monroe & Lake Erie beach, boat launch, campground, 1,300 Frenchtown Twp. playground, nature trails Petersburg State Game Area Summerfield Twp. Hunting 935 Pte. Mouillee State Game Area Berlin Twp. Hunting, fishing, shooting range, boat ramp 3,466 Erie State Game Area Erie Twp. Hunting, boat launch 1,519 I-75 Rest Area Monroe Twp. Rest rooms, picnic area, tourist information 25 US-23 Rest Area Summerfield Restrooms, picnic area, tourist information 28 Twp. I-275 Rest Area Ash Twp. Restrooms, picnic area, tourist information 35 Bolles Harbor Access Site Monroe Twp. Boat launch, fishing, restrooms, parking 77 Otter Creek Access Site LaSalle Twp. Lake Erie access, fishing pier, restrooms 26 Swan Creek Access Site Berlin Twp. Boat ramp, fishing, restrooms 2 Total 13,453
Figure 9. Federal and State-Owned Sites
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City and Township C o m m u n i t y P a r k s In general, city and township parks are intended to serve the community in which they are located. A typical community park would include facilities such as ball fields, tennis courts, playgrounds, picnic sites, trails, parking, and restrooms. In Monroe County, these parks are located primarily in the more densely populated communities including the City of Monroe, Frenchtown Township, and Bedford Township and contain a wide variety of facilities.
Table 10. City and Township Community Parks in Monroe County Park Name Community Facilities Acres Unity Park Ash Twp. Ball diamonds, trail, water recreation 27.3 Carr’s Grove Park Bedford Twp. Picnic shelter, playground, ball diamond, tennis, 5.3 basketball, parking Indian Creek Park Bedford Twp. Soccer Fields, cross country trails, ball diamonds, foot 22.8 bridges, picnic pavilion, play structure, walking path, parking Lewis Anstead Park Bedford Twp. Trails, parking 48.0 Parmelee Park Bedford Twp. Nature trails, basketball, playground, picnic sites, disc 8.8 golf, lighted ball diamonds, tennis courts, skate park, parking Samaria Park Bedford Twp. Playground, community center building, picnic sites, 13.2 trails, ball diamonds, parking White Park Bedford Twp. Playground, picnic sites, ball diamonds, exercise trail, 28.1 basketball, tennis, parking Robert Laginess Park Berlin Twp. Picnic pavilion, meeting building, play structure, swing 40.0 set, benches Ash-Carleton Park Village of Carleton Ball diamonds, playground, trails, picnic sites, tennis, 23.1 natural area, basketball, parking Rod Park Dundee Twp. Ball diamonds, tennis courts, basketball court, 19.1 playground, picnic shelter, natural area, parking Reggie’s Park Village of Dundee Soccer fields, parking, portable toilets 7 Ford Park Village of Dundee River access and walk, picnic shelters and sites, parking 2.9 Memorial Park Village of Dundee Gazebo, benches 0.2 Waterworks Park Village of Dundee Play structure, basketball courts, portable toilets, picnic 1.5 area Wolverine Park Village of Dundee Community center, picnic shelters, boat ramp, fishing, 3.2 parking, portable toilets, play structures, swing set Maplewood Park Erie Twp. Ball field, basketball courts, picnic shelter, playground, 4.1 parking South Erie Park Erie Twp. Playground, ball diamonds, picnic sites 18.1 Frenchtown Kiwanis Park Frenchtown Twp. Ball diamonds, playground, picnic sites, natural area, 14.8 parking Frenchtown Township Hall Frenchtown Twp. Ball diamonds, playground, picnic sites, tennis courts, 12.2 Park walking trail, sledding hill, recreation building, parking Frenchtown Park #3 Frenchtown Twp. Softball, soccer, playground, trail, parking 16.0 Ida Township Park Ida Twp. Playground, horseshoes, pathway, picnic area, parking 10.8 Elementary Park City of Luna Pier Ball fields, picnic shelter, parking, trails 10.0 Evans Pier & Public Beach City of Luna Pier Fishing pier, picnic sites, Lake Erie beach, parking 6.4 Water Tower Park City of Luna Pier Playground, ball diamond, tennis, basketball, picnic 11.5 area, parking Maybee Community Park Village of Maybee Ball diamonds, playground, parking, parking 10.9 Softball Park City of Milan Softball fields, walking paths, parking, portable toilets 9.0
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Wilson Park City of Milan Ball diamonds, basketball courts, sledding hill, Veterans 24.0 Wall of Honor, paths, picnic sites, playground Milan Twp. Park Milan Twp. - 62.0 Hellenberg Park City of Monroe Ball diamonds, river access, natural area, parking 13.0 Munson Park City of Monroe Ball diamonds, community gardens, soccer fields, picnic 240.0 shelters, sledding hill, tennis courts, sand volleyball, playscape, trails, pond, skate park, parking River Walk City of Monroe Riverside walking path 0.9 St. Mary's Park City of Monroe Playground, amphitheater, picnic shelter, tennis courts, 3.4 bocce ball court, basketball, parking Soldiers and Sailors Park City of Monroe Playground, benches, horseshoes 5.2 Veterans Park City of Monroe Playground, river access, picnic areas 7.8 Township Community Park Monroe Twp. Ball diamonds, nature trail, nature center, basketball, 37.0 volleyball, tennis, playground, parking Perry Park City of Petersburg Playground, parking 0.4 Fernstrom Park City of Petersburg River access, picnic sites, parking 8.2 Dodge Park S. Rockwood Natural area, river access, parking 25.8 HCMA Dodge Brothers #9 S. Rockwood Natural area, river access, parking 37.0 Property Labo Park S. Rockwood Fishing access, picnic sites, parking 0.4 Morley Riggs Park S. Rockwood Ball fields, picnic pavilion, playground, parking 16.5 Village Park S. Rockwood Ball diamonds, ice skating, parking 10.2 Ottawa Lake Park Whiteford Twp. - 1.2 Whiteford Park Whiteford Twp. Ball diamonds, trails, soccer, parking 80.0 Total 947.3
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Figure 10. City and Township Community Parks
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L o c a l Neighborhood & Subd ivision Park s Neighborhood and subdivision parks are parks which are designed to serve people living within walking distance (approximate radius of about one-half to one mile). This type of park generally lacks parking or restrooms, but provides features such as playgrounds, benches, and court games such as volleyball, basketball, or tennis courts. In some communities, the dedication of park land is a requirement of a subdivision or mobile home park ordinance, and as such, these parks are often owned and maintained by the neighborhood which they serve. Other neighborhood parks are owned by the municipality. As indicated by the map, neighborhood and subdivision parks in Monroe County are located mainly in the Monroe and Bedford areas. Frenchtown and Bedford townships have several subdivision and neighborhood parks, while the City of Monroe has mainly city-owned neighborhood parks.
Table 11. Neighborhood and Subdivision Parks in Monroe County Park Name Community Facilities Acres Bicentennial Park Bedford Twp. Gazebo, foot bridge 1.0 Bridgeway Bedford Twp. None 2.6 Canterbury Forest Bedford Twp. None 0.9 Colonial (Cranbrook) Bedford Twp. Playground, picnic tables 0.9 Colonial (Middlebury) Bedford Twp. None 1.3 Colonial (Ridgedale) Bedford Twp. None 1.2 Colonial (Wellsley) Bedford Twp. None 1.2 Cottonwood Bedford Twp. None 0.3 Crosscreeks (Indian Creek) Bedford Twp. None 14.6 Crosscreeks (Ryan Common Area) Bedford Twp. None 1.7 Green Hills Community Bedford Twp. Pool, clubhouse, tennis 13.4 Hooverdale - Windingbrook Bedford Twp. None 8.7 Inverness Bedford Twp. Playground 0.7 Jamie Park (Kimberly Oaks) Bedford Twp. None 4.8 Lambert Estates Bedford Twp. None 1.2 McClanathan St. Bedford Twp. None 0.1 Miller Park Bedford Twp. Play area 1.6 Mohawk Trails Bedford Twp. Playground, basketball 0.3 Shenandoah Hills Bedford Twp. None 0.5 Silas and Julia Smith Park Bedford Twp. Picnic sites, basketball, playgrounds 2.1 Tanglewood Bedford Twp. None 0.8 Woodstream Acres Bedford Twp. None 0.8 Northtowne Meadows Bedford Twp. Playground, tennis court 1.6 Valleybrook Park Bedford Twp. None 2.8 Wildhaven Bedford Twp. None 3.2 Lillian Berlin Twp. Playground 0.4 Carleton MHP Village of Carleton Playground 0.2 Yorkshire Manor MHP Village of Carleton Playground 0.4 Arbor Chase Subdivision Village of Dundee Picnic shelter, play structure 1.75 Dundee Ridge Subdivision Village of Dundee Basketball courts, tennis court, volleyball court, play 9.2 structure, walkways
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Park Name Community Facilities Acres River Ridge Subdivision Village of Dundee Walking path 7.67 Stonebrook Subdivision Village of Dundee Picnic shelter, walkway 6.85 West Side Park Village of Dundee Picnic shelter, playground 0.3 Morin Point Park Erie Twp. Playground 1.6 Bay Crest Association Frenchtown Twp. Beach access 4.0 Brest Bay Grove Frenchtown Twp. Beach, playground, picnic 5.5 Detroit Beach Association Frenchtown Twp. Beach 2.3 Detroit Beach Association Frenchtown Twp. Playground 4.2 Detroit Beach Association Frenchtown Twp. Playground, basketball 5.4 Detroit Beach Association Frenchtown Twp. Playground, picnic shelter 7.3 Erie Shores Association Frenchtown Twp. Beach access, picnic grounds 0.7 Erie Shores Association Frenchtown Twp. Playground, picnic, basketball, ball diamond 2.1 Frenchtown Villa Frenchtown Twp. Pool, clubhouse 0.4 Frenchtown Villa Frenchtown Twp. Playground 0.6 Grand Beach Association Frenchtown Twp. Playground, tennis, basketball, ball diamond, picnic 4.7 Indian Trails Association Frenchtown Twp. Ball diamond 0.6 Indian Trails Association Frenchtown Twp. Play equipment, tennis court, basketball 1.0 Indian Trails Association Frenchtown Twp. Beach access, club house 1.0 Indian Trails Association Frenchtown Twp. Playground, basketball 1.5 Kimberly Estates Frenchtown Twp. Pool, tennis, clubhouse 1.5 Pleasantville Frenchtown Twp. Basketball 5.1 Pointe-aux-Peaux Farms Frenchtown Twp. Beach access 3.2 Association Pointe-aux-Peaux Farms Frenchtown Twp. Play equip., shelter, basketball, ball diamond 2.7 Association Stony Pt. Beach Association Frenchtown Twp. None 0.5 Stony Pt. Beach Association Frenchtown Twp. Beach access 1.0 Stony Pt. Beach Association Frenchtown Twp. Playground, basketball 3.2 Stony Pt. Peninsula Frenchtown Twp. Play area, swings 5.0 Association Woodland Beach Association Frenchtown Twp. Playground, ball diamond 2.9 Woodland Beach Association Frenchtown Twp. Ball diamond 3.1 Woodland Beach Association Frenchtown Twp. Playground, beach 10.5 Luna Pier Memorial Park City of Luna Pier Playground, plaza 0.6 Seventh Street Park City of Luna Pier Playground, ball diamond 0.9 Arbor/Lorain Park City of Monroe Playground 0.1 Cairns Field City of Monroe Playground, ball diamond 4.2 Calgary Park City of Monroe Playground, pavilion 2.0 Cranbrook Park City of Monroe Picnic area, natural area 7.2 Depot Square City of Monroe None 0.1 Hoffman Park City of Monroe Playground, picnic area 5.2 James / Hendricks Park City of Monroe None 2.3 Lavender Park City of Monroe Tennis, playground, picnic 1.3
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Park Name Community Facilities Acres Memorial Park City of Monroe Benches, cemetery 0.7 Mill Race Park City of Monroe River access 11.0 Oak Forest Park City of Monroe Natural area 8.2 Orchard Center City of Monroe Playground, basketball 2.6 Plum Creek Park City of Monroe Playground. Basketball, picnic area 2.0 Rauch Park City of Monroe Playground 3.4 St. Antoine's Park City of Monroe Historic site, benches 0.3 Winston Park City of Monroe Playground, benches 0.3 Evergreen Acres Monroe Twp. None 0.9 Avalon Beach Association Park Monroe Twp. Beach access, basketball 1.0 Bolles Harbor Association Park Monroe Twp. Playground, basketball, tennis, ball diamond 8.0 Parkside Monroe Twp. River access 4.7 Ravenwood Monroe Twp. Playground, shelter 2.0 S. Monroe Townsite Monroe Twp. Playground, ball diamond, basketball, tennis 4.6 Total 250.3
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Figure 11. Local Neighborhood and Subdivision Parks
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S c h o o l Recreation Facilities School grounds often provide valuable recreation land for communities. In Monroe County, several of the school districts team up with local communities to provide joint recreational services. The Monroe, Airport, and Bedford School Districts provide an active Community Education Program with extensive recreational opportunities. In general, the public school grounds around Monroe County provide playgrounds and athletic fields. Private and parochial schools also offer some recreational opportunities. However, the use of school properties and facilities is strictly limited, at best to only non-school hours, and to the policies of the individual schools and school districts.
Table 12. Public School Sites in Monroe County School Location Acres Airport High School + Wagar Middle School Ash Twp. 40.4 + Sterling Elementary School Eyler Elementary School Ash Twp. 9.6 Ritter Elementary School Village of S. Rockwood 9.2 Bedford Senior/Junior High School Bedford Twp. 152.9 Bus Garage / Indian Creek Bedford Twp. 22.8 Douglas Road Elementary School Bedford Twp. 11.5 Jackman Road Elementary Bedford Twp. 20.1 Monroe Road Elementary Bedford Twp. 12.6 Niedermeier Center for Education Berlin Twp. 9.9 North Elementary School Berlin Twp. 21.5 Dundee Community Schools Village of Dundee 52.0 Mason Schools Erie Twp. 115.0 Jefferson High School + Recreation Center Frenchtown Twp. 86.7 Sodt Elementary Frenchtown Twp. 18.5 Ida Public Schools Ida Twp. 48.2 Milan High School, Symons Elementary City of Milan 28.2 School Arborwood South Elementary School City of Monroe 20.2 Arborwood North Elementary School City of Monroe 6.7 Manor Elementary School City of Monroe 8.8 Monroe Middle School City of Monroe 3.6 Custer Elementary School Monroe Twp. 53.6 Monroe High School Monroe Twp. 46.7 S. Monroe Elementary School Monroe Twp. 1.7 Waterloo Elementary School Monroe Twp. 6.8 Raisinville Elementary School Raisinville Twp. 21.5 Monroe County Community College Monroe Twp. 127.7 Summerfield Schools Summerfield Twp. 30.6 Summerfield Schools Park Summerfield Twp. 7.0 Whiteford Schools Whiteford Twp. 44.4 Total 1,038.4
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Figure 12. Public Schools in Monroe County
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Public Access Sites As a coastal community, Monroe County provides residents with a selection of public access sites on Lake Erie as well as the River Raisin. The access sites vary, from sites capable of launching large boats to canoe and kayak landings and fishing piers. In addition to the sites listed below, Detroit Edison is proposing to open two access sites on their property - one from Dunbar Road east of I-75 and one near the warm water discharge at their Monroe Power Plant site. Canoe access to the River Raisin is also possible in the City of Petersburg (Fernstrom Park), the Village of Dundee (north of M-50, behind library), the West County Park site, the River Raisin Canoe Livery in Raisinville Township (see miscellaneous facilities), and at both the Ida-Maybee Road bridge and the Raisinville Road bridge. Fishing sites are also present at Sterling State Park and at Luna Pier’s fishing pier.
Figure 13. Public Access Sites in Monroe County
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Table 13. Public Access Sites in Monroe County Site Location Owner Facilities Acres Pointe Mouillee Access Site Berlin Twp. State of Michigan Boat launch 1.0 Swan Creek Access Site Berlin Twp. State of Michigan Boat launch, restrooms 1.3 Wolverine Park Village of Dundee Village of Dundee Boat launch 4.0 Village Hall Village of Dundee Village of Dundee Boat launch - Erie State Game Area Erie Twp. State of Michigan Boat launch 2.9 Sterling State Park Frenchtown Twp. State of Michigan 2 boat launches, docks 1,300 Luna Pier Lake Erie City of Luna Pier City of Luna Pier Boat launch Accessible Boat Launch Luna Pier Boat Launch City of Luna Pier City of Luna Pier Boat launch 9.0 Public Access Site City of Luna Pier Consumers Power Fishing access 1.5 Hellenberg Park City of Monroe City of Monroe Boat launch 2.0 Bolles Harbor Monroe Twp. State of Michigan Boat launch, restrooms 77.1 Hoffman Memorial Pier Monroe Twp. Monroe Township Fishing pier 0.4 Waterloo Park Monroe Twp. Monroe County Fishing pier, canoe landing 11.3 River Raisin Access Site Raisinville Twp. Raisinville Twp. Boat launch 2
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Campgrounds Camping opportunities in Monroe County are available mainly in private campgrounds, except for Sterling State Park. The campgrounds listed below are licensed and have been inspected by the County Health Department. The listed campgrounds are all open to the public. Other licensed campgrounds exist in Monroe County, but are for private use. Camping is allowed at the County Fairgrounds for special events only.
Table 14. Campgrounds in Monroe County Campground Location Modern Sites Primitive Sites Acres Wilderness Retreat Dundee Twp. 50 0 50.5 Camp Lord Willing Frenchtown 30 36 28.2 Sterling State Park (public) Frenchtown 256 0 1,300.0 KC Campground London 50 50 20.6 Harbortown RV Resort Monroe Twp. 250 0 30.5 Monroe County KOA Summerfield 249 0 41.9 Pirolli Park Summerfield 100 50 68.7 Totem Pole Park Summerfield 121 0 34.6 Covered Wagon Campground Whiteford 100 13 18.7
Figure 14. Campgrounds in Monroe County
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Golf Courses There are 20 golf courses in Monroe County, plus additional driving ranges, giving area residents many opportunities to participate in this form of recreation. Golf is becoming a popular sport for both men and women and many of the area courses offer lessons, leagues, and tournaments. There are no municipally owned courses in the County, and some of the courses are open only to members.
Figure 15. Golf Courses in Monroe County
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Table 15. Golf Courses in Monroe County Course Location Holes Carleton Glen Golf Club Ash Twp. 18 Bedford Hills Golf Club Bedford Twp. 27 Giant Oak Golf Club Bedford Twp. 27 Maple Grove Bedford Twp. 18 Leslie Golf Inc. Berlin Twp. driving range Thorne Brothers at Lilac Golf Course Berlin Twp. 18 Dundee Golf Club Dundee Twp. 9 Thorne Hill Golf Course Exeter Twp. 18 Monroe Country Club Frenchtown Twp. 18 Old Town Golf & Sportland Frenchtown Twp. 9 (par 3) River Raisin Golf Course Frenchtown Twp. 36 (2 x 18) Sandy Creek Golf Course Frenchtown Twp. 18 Carrington Golf Club Monroe Twp. 18 Links at Lake Erie Monroe Twp. 18 Green Meadows Raisinville Twp. 18 Deme Acres Summerfield Twp. 18 Wesburn Golf & Country Club Village of S. Rockwood 18 Scotch Run Golf Center Whiteford Twp. 9 Cherrywood Whiteford Twp. 9 Sand Wedge Whiteford Twp. 18 The Legacy by Arthur Hills Whiteford Twp. 18 Wedgewood Golf Range Whiteford Twp. driving range Whiteford Valley Golf Course Whiteford Twp. 72 (4 x 18)
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Marinas Monroe County has thousands of boat slips in privately owner marinas up and down the Lake Erie coastline. The marinas vary widely in terms of size and facilities. Indoor boat storage, charter fishing, oil and gasoline sales, bait and tackle, boat rental, and other services are available at selected locations. Many of the marinas in the county are too small to accurately depict on the attached map and were simply referred to as “small marinas.”
Figure 16. Marinas in Monroe County
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Table 16. Marinas in Monroe County Marina Location Boat Slips Lake Pointe Marina Berlin Twp. 68 Swan Boat Club Berlin Twp. 127 Swan Yacht Club Berlin Twp. 29 Andrew’s Boat Dock Erie Twp. 145 Blair’s Marina Erie Twp. 80 Burlen’s Dock Erie Twp. 35 Erie Bay Harbor Marina Erie Twp. 227 Folden Marina Erie Twp. 22 Halfway Marina Erie Twp. 39 John Fisher’s Marina Erie Twp. 32 JoJo’s Marina Erie Twp. 57 Lands End Marina Erie Twp. 32 Lost Peninsula Marina Erie Twp. 300 State Line Marina Erie Twp. 141 T & L Marine Erie Twp. 10 Tom’s Boat Dock Erie Twp. 39 Estral Beach Island Marina Village of Estral Beach 69 Brest Bay Marina Frenchtown Twp. 358 Detroit Beach Boat Club Frenchtown Twp. 94 Lighthouse Harbor Marina LaSalle Twp. 177 North Cape Yacht Club LaSalle Twp. 150 Otter Creek Marina LaSalle Twp. 75 Toledo Beach Marina LaSalle Twp. 555 Luna Pier Harbour Club City of Luna Pier 392 Roe’s Riverside Bait & Tackle City of Monroe 14 Riverfront Marina City of Monroe 155 Mooner’s Marina City of Monroe 34 Clarks Landing Monroe Twp. 24 Erie Party Shoppe & Docks Monroe Twp. 70 Harbor Marine Monroe Twp. 20 Monroe Boat Club Monroe Twp. 88 Monroe Marina Monroe Twp. 42 OPM Club Monroe Twp. 28 Trout’s Yacht Basin Monroe Twp. 94 LaPlaisance Creek Marina Monroe Twp. 68
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Gun Clubs / Shooting Ranges The many sportsmen’s clubs in Monroe County reflect the area’s heritage as one of the region’s premier waterfowl hunting areas. Monroe County contains 14 shooting ranges, most of which are private clubs, which have facilities for archery, skeet, target shooting, and other firearm activities. A “hunting preserve” in Milan Township provides for the shooting of pheasant.
Figure 17. Shooting Ranges/Sportsmen’s Club in Monroe County
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Table 17. Shooting Ranges and Sportsmen’s Clubs in Monroe County Range/Club Township Southern Michigan Sportsmen’s Club Bedford Twp. Dundee Sportsman’s Club Dundee Twp. Dundee Pheasant Farm and Dog Training Preserve Dundee Twp. Mudjaw Bowman Lodge Erie Twp. Carleton Sportsmen’s Club Exeter Twp. Century Gun Club Exeter Twp. East Rockwood Sportsman’s Club Exeter Twp. Brest Bay Sportsman’s Club Frenchtown Twp. London Sportsmen Rod & Gun Club London Twp. Maybee Sportsmen’s Club London Twp. Sexy Pheasant Hunting Preserve Milan Twp. Monroe County Rod & Gun Club Monroe Twp. Monroe Rifle & Pistol Club Raisinville Twp. Canvasback Gun Club Raisinville Twp. Ottawa Lake Sportsman’s Club Whiteford Twp.
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Miscellaneous Recreati onal Facilities This category contains those facilities that do not fall into any of the above categories, but still could be considered as recreational sites such as bowling alleys, riding stables, and swimming clubs. Also included are private nature preserves, sports fields, and historic sites.
Figure 18. Miscellaneous Recreation Facilities in Monroe County
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Table 18. Miscellaneous Recreation Facilities in Monroe County Facility Location Description Acres Flat Rock Speedway Ash Twp. Race track 32 VFW Post 4093 Ash Twp. Picnic shelter 8 Brookwood Swim Club Bedford Twp. Private swim club 5 Meadows Douglas Riding Bedford Twp. Private stables 21 Stables Forestview Lanes Bedford Twp. Bowling, volleyball 9 Howard’s Riding Academy Bedford Twp. Private stables 11 Hunter’s Run Riding Stables Bedford Twp. Private stables 50 Lambertville Civic Club Bedford Twp. Sports fields, clubhouse 8 Soda Park Bedford Twp. Ball diamonds 20 Windsong Stables Bedford Twp. Private stables 17 Francis Family YMCA Bedford Twp. Indoor pool, fitness center, gym, classrooms, etc. Newport Fireman’s Park Berlin Twp. Picnic area, shelter 7 Farmer J’s Corn Maze Dundee Twp. Corn Maze 15 Cabela’s Village of Dundee Walkways, pond fishing access, wildlife refuge 69 Erie Marsh Preserve (TNC) Erie Twp. Nature preserve, waterfowl hunting 2,217 Erie Orchards Erie Twp. Pick-your-own fruit, tours, cider mill 65 Calder’s Dairy Exeter Twp. Farm tours, animals 61 Detroit Edison Ball Field Frenchtown Twp. Private ball fields 8 Dixie Skateland Frenchtown Twp. Skating rink 2 Milan Dragway London Twp. Drag strip 136 Consumers Power Preserve City of Luna Pier Natural area, Lake Erie beach 48 Clearwater Beach Milan Twp. Swimming pond 53 Monroe YMCA City of Monroe Indoor pool, fitness center, gym, classrooms, etc. 9 Nortel Lanes City of Monroe Bowling alley 6 Great Lakes Skateway Monroe Twp. Roller skating rink 6 Monroe County Fairgrounds Monroe Twp. Fairgrounds, special events, auditorium 112 Monroe County Library (Ellis) Monroe Twp. Picnic area, River Raisin access 6 Monroe Sports Center Monroe Twp. Bowling alley 5 Holiday Camp Raisinville Twp. Special education camp 1 River Raisin Canoe Livery Raisinville Twp. Canoe rentals 25
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R E C R E A T I O N F ACILITIES I N A D J A C E N T C OUNTIES Within 60 miles of Monroe, there is a variety of recreational resources available to County residents. The Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority (HCMA) operates 13 Metroparks totaling 23,630 acres. Activities and facilities provided by the Metroparks include nature trails and interpretive centers, picnic areas, swimming beaches, boating, golf, cross-country skiing, and other activities aimed primarily at serving a regional population base. The Toledo area also runs a Metropolitan Park District consisting of seven regional parks and two greenspace parks in the northwest Ohio area.
Many Michigan State Parks are in southeastern Michigan. These parks offer activities such as water access, camping and hiking.
Other recreational facilities in the area that serve a regional or even national market include Cedar Point amusement park, Greenfield Village, the Detroit and Toledo Zoos, and Belle Isle.
Figure 19. Regional Recreation Resources around Monroe County
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L A N D T RAILS Public trail systems in Monroe County include the River Raisin Heritage Trail and various other trails and pathways within existing parks.
The River Raisin Heritage Trail is the designation given to the Sterling State Park trail system and its connection, within the City of Monroe, to the River Raisin Battlefield site. The system also includes the City’s Riverwalk path system, and the pathways and sidewalks and paved shoulder/bike path along Elm Avenue and North Custer, currently terminating at the Territorial Park or the historic Navarre-Anderson Trading Post.
Figure 20. River Raisin Heritage Trail
Several local parks have extensive pathway system, including Munson Park (City of Monroe), Monroe Charter Township Park, and the Bedford Community Parks, including Anstead, Parmalee, White, Indian Creek, and Samaria.
A bicycle path within the I-275 right-of-way was developed when the highway was constructed in the 1970’s but has been closed for many years after having fallen into disrepair. However, the I-275 Metro Trail, as it is now known, has been restored into usable condition from I-96 to I-94 in Wayne and Oakland Counties, but has not yet been extended south into Monroe County.
The effort to produce a coordinated, functioning, non-motorized system is an essential factor in the quality of life for Monroe County.
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The vision nonmotorized corridors in Monroe County has evolved to include a system of on-road and off-the-road facilities. In addition to walk/bike routes along roadways, many of the corridors identified follow river and stream corridors. Figure 22 illustrates the corridors and gaps for Monroe County as identified in SEMCOG’s 2014 Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan for Southeast Michigan. Monroe County’s existing River Raisin Heritage Trail would connect north to the Downriver Linked Greenways through the gap identified as #1 on Figure 21. This follows North Dixie Highway, US Turnpike Road, and West Jefferson Avenue; Michigan’s first road.
Figure 21. Monroe County Nonmotorized Corridors and Gaps
Source: SEMCOG Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan for Southeast Michigan – Monroe County, 2014
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Gap # 1 would link to the Downriver regional pathway system that connects the 17 Downriver communities and Wayne County through a network of trails and greenways. It would also link into a rapidly forming statewide system of trails known as the Iron Belle Trail, which is located at the northeast corner of Monroe County.
As envisioned, the Iron Belle trail would connect Ironwood to Belle Isle along both a western and an eastern route through the State of Michigan. The western trail route shows a key segment which includes the Lake Erie Metropark connecting west to Oakwood Metropark and extending northwest through the State. Figure 22 illustrates the routes with the blue western route representing a trail meant primarily for “hikers” and the red route, designed for “bicyclists.”
Figure 22. The Iron Belle Trail
Source: MDNR, 2015.
The MDNR, MDOT, Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), and Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) have shown support by identifying contacts and potential program resources aligning funding along their management areas.
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W A T E R T RAIL S Water trails have become an important recreation resource in Michigan. Water trails are designated routes along a river, lake, canal, or bay specifically designed for people using small boats like kayaks, canoes, single sailboats or rowboats. The trails, sometimes called blueways, are the aquatic equivalent of land trails.
Around Monroe County the regional vision for the Detroit Heritage River Water Trail, depicted on Figure 23, includes a network of recreational trails along the Detroit, Huron, Raisin, and Rouge Rivers. It is planned to encourage small boaters to recreate and experience the natural, cultural, and historic resources offered along these routes.
Figure 23. Detroit Heritage River Water Trail
Source: Metropolitan Affairs Coalition, 2006
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Monroe County developed a comprehensive master plan for water trails on the River Raisin and Lake Erie in 2014. It identifies specific recommendations for possible launch sites and other improvements. The existing landing areas at the County-owned properties along the River Raisin are identified for future improvements. Figure 24 depicts the water trails planned for Monroe County and shows where dams are located as they impede the water trail routes.
Figure 24. Monroe County Water Trails
Source: Monroe County Water Trail Master Plan, 2014
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A CCESSIBILITY A SSESSMENT A N D G RANT - A S S I S T E D P ROJECTS The Monroe County park system is intended for use by all persons, regardless of their disability status. It is the intent of the County to comply with the appropriate accessibility standards and guidelines for play areas, outdoor developed areas, parking areas, and other facilities, which fall under the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). All recent improvements to the County parks have been designed to comply with or exceed accessibility guidelines and standards, and to retrofit, when appropriate, those facilities, which pre-date ADA standards.
A critical component in planning for recreation facilities is providing access to accommodate the needs of all people, including those with disabilities. The ranking system suggested by the MDNR Guidelines was used to evaluate the accessibility of the County parks. The ranking system ranges from 1 to 5 as follows:
1. None of the facilities meet accessibility guidelines; 2. Some of the facilities/park areas meet accessibility guidelines; 3. Most of the facilities/park areas meet accessibility guidelines; 4. The entire park meets accessibility guidelines; and 5. The entire park was developed/renovated using the principles of universal design.
Each of the parks was evaluated using the MDNR ranking system noted. The elements evaluated include parking areas, paths of travel from parking to activity areas, the activity areas themselves, and support facilities such as restrooms and surfacing. Table 18 presents the results of this evaluation.
Table 19. Accessibility Assessment Park Rating Description Heck Park 3 Most of the park meets accessibility guidelines (accessible routes are missing to some of the park elements such as swings, restrooms, play area, parking). Nike Park 3 Most of the park meets accessibility guidelines (an accessible pathway system would help tie together park elements, such as swings, restrooms, play area, parking). Vienna Park 3 Most of the park meets accessibility guidelines (an accessible pathway system would help tie together park elements, such as swings, shelters, restrooms, play area, parking). Waterloo Park 4 The entire park meets accessibility guidelines. West County Park 2 Some of the facilities or park areas meets accessibility guidelines (trail surface is not entirely accessible).
It is the intent of Monroe County that current and future park projects comply with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations. Deficiencies will be corrected with park renovation and improvements.
The County of Monroe has received a variety of grants that have been used to develop and improve the County parks. Table 20 lists all the grants which have been awarded to the County.
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Table 20. Grant Assisted Projects Park Year/ Type of Grant Project elements Condition Grant # Heck Park 1972 Land and Water Shelter, parking, road, fence, Most of project LWCF Conservation picnic tables, grills, water elements are removed – 26-00425 Fund system, bleachers past their useful life (bleachers moved to Vienna park; fencing still in place) Vienna Park 1972 Land and Water Shelter, restroom, parking, 2 Intact LWCF Conservation ball diamonds, drainage, 26-00331 Fund motorized trails Nike Park - 1975 Land and Water Road, restrooms, parking, Play equipment Parcel B LWCF Conservation picnic site furnishings, play replaced; restrooms no 26-00615 Fund equipment, fencing, 2 longer functional shelters, utilities, trail Vienna Park - 1980 Land and Water Disc golf, basketball court, Intact Phase 3 LWCF Conservation landscaping, trails, sign, 26-01138 Fund fence, picnic site furnishings Waterloo Park – 1989 Michigan Inland Accessible fishing pier, Intact Phase 1 Fisheries riverside trail, fishing Cooperative platforms Grant Waterloo Park - 1990 Recreation Accessible fitness and Intact Phase 2 BF 90-98 Bond Fund playground areas, renovate parking & driveways, ½ mile fitness path, shoreline stabilization Nike & Vienna Parks - 1999 Clean Michigan Replace or relocate play Intact Playground Safety CM-99-00 Fund equipment to safe accessible Project surface, signs, gates, paths
West County Park 2002 DTE Energy Tree seedling plantings Intact DTE 02-09 Tree Planting Grant West County Park 2003 Community Tree seedling plantings Intact Tree Planting Seedling Grant River Raisin Battlefield 2000 Recreation Interpretive walking trail, Intact (now owned by Interpretive BF-00-200 Bond Fund shelter, parking, native national park service) Development plantings Heck Park – 2005 Emerald Ash Removal of dead trees and Intact Emerald Ash Borer EAB 05-18 Borer Tree replacement Tree Planting Grant Planting Grant Heck Park – 2005 Land and Water Entry drive, parking, picnic Intact Trail, Shelter, and LWCF Conservation site furn., play & fitness area, Fitness Project 26-01650 Fund basketball court, site amenities Academy Preserve TF 08-111, Michigan Land acquisition Grant Withdrawn Acquisition Project TF 09-163 Natural Resources Trust Fund
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N E E D S A SSESSMENT
A critical component in the recreation planning process is determining the needs and desires of the community as a basis for an action plan to improve the parks, trails, and recreation system. Needs and preferences provide the rationale for the formulation of goals and objectives that lead to an action plan. To assess needs and desires, consideration was given to current recreation trends and input from community stakeholders, public officials, and residents of Monroe County.
P A R K A C R E A G E C OMPARISON NRPA Close-to-home Park Land:
The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) recommends a Mini-Park: Addresses limited recreational needs; serves an area less minimum amount of parkland to adequately serve a given population than ¼-mile distance. size. The NRPA guidelines provide minimum recommended parkland and Neighborhood Park: Is the basic unit of facility development standards that are applicable nationwide for the park system and serves as the recreation planning purposes. While the standards are useful benchmarks recreation and social focus of a addressing minimum park acreage, a parks and recreation system should neighborhood; focus is on informal active and passive recreation; serves an be tailored to meet the needs of the community it pertains to. area ¼ to ½ mile distance and is uninterrupted by non-residential roads According to the NRPA, parks are categorized as mini-parks, or other physical barriers. neighborhood parks, community parks, and regional parks. The mini, Community Park: Serves a broader neighborhood, and community parks are the close-to-home parks, purpose than neighborhood parks; focus is on meeting community-based designed to satisfy the recreational needs of local communities as recreation needs and preserving unique described on the right. According to NRPA standards, the suggested landscapes and open spaces; usually amount of close-to-home parkland is 6.25 to 10.5 acres for every 1,000 serves two or more neighborhoods at ½ to 3-mile distance. residents.
Regional parks serve a broader area (about a 40-mile radius) and focus on meeting the recreation needs of the region as well as preserving unique areas. Regional parks would include the County parks as well as the federal and state-owned recreation areas described in the preceding chapter. The NRPA also recognizes other types of parks such as school properties that can contribute to the parks and recreation system.
Table 21 presents a comparison of the NRPA suggested parkland standards with existing parks based on a combined County population of 152,021 in 2010 and 156,274 in 2045. According to these standards, local and regional parks meet the recommended acreage for total close-to-home and regional parkland. Monroe County residents are particularly well served by the regional park facilities provided by the federal and state governments that are located nearby.
Table 21. Comparison to Suggested Parkland Acreage Standards NRPA standard Suggested Suggested Type of Park Existing Acres/ 1000 Pop. 2010 Pop. 152,021 2045 Pop. 156,274 Close to Home Parkland 6.25 - 10.5 Acres 950 – 1,597 Acres 976 – 1,641 Acres 1,055 Acres Regional Parks within Monroe 15 - 20 Acres 2,280 – 3,041 Acres 2,344 – 3,126 Acres 7,634 Acres Schools - - - 1,081 Acres
Private & Other Recreation - - - 1,594 Acres Facilities
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S T A T E A N D N A T I O N A L R E C R E A T I O N T RENDS Recreation trends on a national level and in Michigan provide insight into activities that show the greatest growth in popularity and therefore may affect the future direction of parks and recreation. The Outdoor Foundation regularly conducts national surveys to measure participation in physical activities and track changes from previous years. According to the Outdoor Foundation, nearly 50 percent of Americans (142 million) ages six and older participated in outdoor recreation in 2015. Table 22 lists the top five outdoor activities.
Table 22. National Sports Participation, 2015 Participation Participation Activity Percent Number 1. Running, Jogging & Trail Running 18% 51.5 million 2. Freshwater, Saltwater & Fly Fishing 16% 45.7 million 3. Road Biking, Mountain Biking & BMX 15% 43.1 million 4. Car, Backyard & RV Camping 14% 40.0 million 5. Hiking 13% 37.2 million Source: Outdoor Participation Report, 2016, the Outdoor Foundation
These trends are consistent with trends observed in Michigan. According to a telephone survey of Michigan residents conducted as part of the 2018-2022 Michigan Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan, the top ten outdoor recreation activities are:
1. Relaxing outdoors; 6. Swimming outdoors; 2. Walking; 7. Picnicking 3. Visiting parks or playgrounds; 8. 1,594Fishing; 4. Sightseeing and/or driving for pleasure 9. Team or individual sports; and 5. Visiting nature centers or historic sites; 10. Wildlife viewing and/or photography.
Monitoring parks and recreation trends is important in determining how parks and recreation services should evolve. The implication of the trends noted above along with the demographic and physical characteristics of the Monroe County area can be summarized as follows:
Recreation facilities and programs should respond to the expected increase of seniors. There is a need for more trails and pathways to accommodate bicycle and pedestrian recreation use and to contribute to a healthy and walkable community. Monroe County needs to be forward-thinking and make progress connecting the River Raisin Heritage Trail both north to Wayne County and south and west to other county communities and the Toledo area. The River Raisin and Lake Erie are great natural assets for the County. Encouraging their use for recreation while maintaining their ecological functions should be a priority.
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P U B L I C I NPUT To develop a master plan that reflects the recreation preferences, needs, and values of County residents, the planning process included public input, which was received through a survey or residents during the month of July 2018.
Residents were invited to provide ideas and suggestions for the County parks, trails and recreation system through an online survey available on the County’s website. The survey was advertised by an article in the Monroe Evening News (“Commission Seeks Residents’ Input to Improve Parks,” 7-2-18), from a Channel 24 Toledo News story (7-10-18), through flyers, and on the County’s website. The online questionnaire was designed to solicit feedback on improvements to the County park system. More than 90 surveys and comments were received and compiled. Key findings from the surveys are outlined below. A complete tally of the responses gathered is attached in the appendix of this report.
Park Visitation The most visited County parks are: 1. Loranger Square; 2. Vienna Park; 3. Navarre-Anderson Trading Post (Territorial Park); 4. Waterloo Park; and 5. Heck Park.
The most visited regional parks are: 1. Sterling State Park; 2. River Raisin Heritage Trail; and 3. River Raisin National Battlefield Park.
Park Improvements A summary of the primary reasons for visiting each of the County Parks and suggestions for specific improvements are noted below.
Heck Park Primary reasons for visit: Vietnam memorial, playground & sledding, eat lunch, and walking path. Suggestions for improvements: playground updates (with equipment for bigger kids, swings), more picnic areas, more trees for shade, improve road access, and dog park.
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Waterloo Park Primary reasons for visit: walking/biking path, playground, picnic area, and fishing/river access. Suggestions for improvements: additional fishing docks, boat launch, canoe rental, dog park, improve drainage and shade of playground areas, and update play equipment.
Vienna Park Primary reasons for visit: disc golf, picnic, baseball, playground, and walking path. Suggestions for improvements: more trees for shade, mile markers on trails, dog bag dispensers, walk/bike trail, disc golf improvments (signage at each hole), baseball field improvemens (dugouts, backstops, players benches), and new playground equipment.
West County Park Primary reasons for visit: Native American memorial, walking, hiking, running. Suggestions for improvements: improve trails, coordinate with Dundee High School cross country team, and coordinate organized activities (stargazing, meteor viewing).
Nike Park: Primary reasons for visit: tractor show, playground, walking, model airplane flying. Suggestions for improvements: playground update, new trail, more trees for shade, dog park, add wildlife conservation habitat, and directional signage to park.
Navarre Trading Post, River Raisin Access Site, St Antoine Cemetery, Loranger Square Suggestion for improvements: add bathrooms, river maps, canoe rental, improve launch sites at both the Raisinville Township site and trading post, provide more public access sites on the River Raisin, add a portage around the dam at Grape (upstream from the Ida-Maybee bridge), add fishing sites; improve historical interpretation, support millage for historical sites; more places to sit, better lighting, and donor brick repair at Loranger Square.
Other General Comments and Improvements Re-create French Town at the National Battlefield Park; Improve the Sterling State Park trails; Restore the Plum Creek Bay Wildlife Area with collaboration from City of Monroe, Monroe Township, Michigan DNR, US fish and Wildlife Service, Port of Monroe, DTE, and County; Make it possible to kayak or canoe from Dundee to Lake Erie; Keep working to make Monroe County bikeable, kayakable, and walkable; The Lake Erie Circle Tour must be re-directed from I-75 at Exist 15 up N. Dixie Highway to the US Turnpike in Berlin Township to W. Jefferson (in S. Rockwood) to Biddle (Wyandotte) to W. Jefferson (Springwells/Fort Wayne); Connect parks with bike and walking trails; Provide a trail along W. Seventh Street and the abandoned railroad right-of-way (Former New York Central railroad), which could connect the City of Monroe with Monroe High School and the Monroe County Community College; Need for a water park, community outdoor swimming pool, splash park; Need for a dog park in the Monroe area;
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Access to clean, maintained bathrooms and safe spaces are very important and seating at all parks; and Improve fishing access, with both shore and dock improvements.
P a r k Facility Preference In general, respondents top five choices for preferred recreation facilities/activities in order of importance are: 1. Walking/running/bicycling paths or trails; 2. Nature trails; 3. Playground structures along with canoeing/kayaking; 4. Picnic areas and pavilions; and 5. Fishing.
The top three facilities or activities that respondents are most likely to visit include: 1. Nature preserves with nature areas and nature/hiking trails; 2. Bicycle/walking/running paths or trails; and 3. Neighborhood parks with playgrounds and benches.
P a r k P r i o r i t i e s The top priorities for park improvements include: 1. Maintain/renovate existing County parks; 2. Develop more walking/bicycle paths within County parks; 3. Develop new facilities at existing parks; 4. Preserve open space and natural areas; 5. Develop a county-wide trail system; 6. Develop/improve water trails; and 7. Acquire land and open space for future development.
S u p p o r t When asked whether they would support a future millage for the operation, maintenance, and development of County parks and trails, 74 percent of respondents indicated yes, 4 percent indicated no, and 19 percent had no opinion.
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P U B L I C M EETING A public meeting held at a meeting of the Parks and Recreation Commission took place on August 8, 2018. The Commission considered the results of the survey and discussed park maintenance needs and other potential improvements for each of the County parks. Table 23 lists these suggestions for improvements and priorities voted by a show of hands during the meeting.
Table 23. Summary of Park Improvement Suggestions Suggestions for Improvements Priority / Vote Heck Park Add to memorial theme with more historical features 4 Plant trees to provide shade areas 3 Additional picnic areas Playground upgrades: swings, equipment for older kids Develop interpretive signage Work with volunteers to provide better hours for the museum Take over quarry if it becomes available
Nike Park Provide a fenced-in dog area 5 Add a sand volleyball court 2 Plant more trees for shade and improve natural habitat 2 Improve park sign on Grafton Road Improve playground area
Vienna Park Continue to enhance the disc golf course 5 Add sand volleyball court by Shelter A 3 Develop more trails with mile markers Plant trees and improve natural habitat Work with Bedford Baseball Club to improve backstop, player dugouts & ball fields
Waterloo Park Improve canoe/kayak launch accessibility 8 Upgrade playground and consider adding new play equipment by Shelter B 1 Provide additional fishing stations Add new picnic shelter with access to playground Consider partnership with others to build a pedestrian bridge over the River Raisin
West County Park Continue to improve natural habitat and add interpretive signage 5 Add signage regarding the Macon Reserve and continue to coordinate with the River Raisin 3 National Battlefield Park for preservation of archaeological sites Enlarge parking lot 1++
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Suggestions for Improvements Priority / Vote Develop a canoe/kayak launch area Facilitate more activities such as stargazing/meteor viewing Coordinate with Dundee HS cross country team to offer the trails for running practice and
events
Trails (Land and Water Trails) Develop a concept for an interconnected system of multi-use trails, both land and water
trails linked to the River Raisin Heritage Trail Partner with the City of Monroe, Monroe Township, Monroe County Community College, Monroe County Fair Board, and others to close the loop connecting W. Seventh Street to
Monroe High School, Community College, Raisinville Road, and connect to N Custer at Territorial Park Continue to develop access sites along the River Raisin Develop an interpretive water trail map and guide booklet Coordinate and organize a public/private partnership including federal, state, county, local and non-profit agencies as well as private community stakeholders for the implementation and management of the countywide trail system
Parkland Acquisition Continue to seek parkland acquisition of areas contiguous to existing parks, and areas
offering opportunities for trail development or nature preservation
County Park Promotion and Awareness Expand use of website to increase awareness of County parks and provide information and
access to data regarding recreational opportunities Continue to improve signs and entrances at all County parks Continue to seek partnerships to increase use of County parks and to support future
improvements Continue to seek volunteers to provide park oversight and stewardship
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P U B L I C R E V I E W A N D P U B L I C H EARING Once a draft Parks and Recreation Plan was completed, it was made available for a 30-day public review from October x, 2018 to November x, 2018. The availability of the draft plan for public review was advertised in the Monroe News and posted on the County’s website. Copies of the draft plan were placed at various locations including the Monroe County Planning Department, the Bedford, Dorsch Memorial, and Ellis Branch Public Libraries, and on the County’s website.
The public input into the plan culminated in an advertised public hearing held on December 10, 2018 at a special meeting of the County Parks and Recreation Commission. After the Parks and Recreation Commission considered the comments received from the 30-day review and the public hearing, minor changes were made to the document and the plan was recommended for adoption by County Board of Commissioners. The County Board of Commissioners finally adopted the plan on January 15, 2019.
Copies of the Parks and Recreation Commission and Board of Commissioners resolutions, public notices regarding plan availability and public hearing, the minutes of the public hearing, and letters of transmittal are included in the Supporting Documents section of this report.
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G O A L S A N D O BJECTIVES
Goals and objectives were formulated to provide direction and a long-term vision for Monroe County’s park system. They are broad enough to encompass the suggestions expressed from the public, County officials, staff, as well as to meet the observed deficiencies in the recreation resources of the area. They also consider demographic changes, current and anticipated growth and development, the area’s physical resources, and recreation trends.
G O A L 1. P A R K M AINTENANCE A N D I MPROVEMENT Maintain and improve County parks to ensure clean, safe, attractive, and functional environments. It is important to maintain and improve existing park facilities to ensure continued enjoyment and safety. This includes upgrading aging equipment, removing barriers, and general park upkeep. This also includes developing new recreation facilities to meet the changing recreational needs of County residents.
1.1 Ensure park facilities and equipment are well-maintained, clean, and safe to use; 1.2 Upgrade, repair, or replace aging play equipment, paved surfaces, park structures, and furnishings as needed; 1.3 Remove barriers to universal access; 1.4 Conserve and enhance natural areas and historical resources; and 1.5 Improve opportunities for natural resource-based recreation in County parks and develop new recreation facilities to respond to recreation needs.
G O A L 2. L A N D A N D W A T E R T RAILS Develop and improve land and water trails with new trail connections and amenities. Walking, bicycling, running, canoeing, and kayaking continue to be the top desired activities for County residents. The establishment of an interconnected network of land and water trails which would connect parks, community facilities, and points of interest would promote active lifestyles and enhance the health and well-being of Monroe County residents.
2.1 Plan and refine a vision for a county-wide system of land and water trails which would serve as both a recreational facility and a non-motorized transportation system connecting communities, parks, and other points of interest within Monroe County as well as linking with other regional trail systems; 2.2 Coordinate an appropriate management and organizational structure to implement, operate, and maintain the system; and 2.3 Develop and promote water trails with new canoe/kayak landings, a water trail and guide booklet, and additional opportunities for fishing in accordance with the Monroe County’s Water Trail Master Plan recommendations.
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G O A L 3. C O M M U N I T Y A W A RENESS AND S UPPORT Increase community awareness and support of County parks. Making sure that County residents know their County parks and understand their value is essential to increase support of Monroe County parks and recreation services.
3.1 Continue to provide opportunities for recreational programs within County parks and partner with community groups that have common recreational goals supported by the County; 3.2 Develop an informational campaign and resources using various media and multimedia to promote awareness of Monroe County recreational opportunities such as an expanded website that provide information and access to data regarding recreational opportunities; 3.3 Improve signs and entrances at all County parks to enhance park visibility and appearance including directional signs from the county road network; 3.4 Increase volunteer partnership efforts to use and improve the County parks; and 3.5 Participate in statewide (Michigan Recreation and Park Association) and regional parks and recreation groups (SEMCOG Parks and Recreation Task Force) for advocacy, resources, and professional development opportunities.
G O A L 4. P A R K L A N D A CQUISITION Acquire new parkland. Land acquisition should focus on preserving and protecting high quality natural areas and open spaces as well as areas providing opportunities for land and water trail development.
4.1 Seek opportunities for parkland acquisition particularly properties that would provide lake or river access and other areas that presents opportunities for park and trail development; and 4.2 Encourage the preservation of open space and natural areas through the purchase of development rights, conservation easements, and other means.
G O A L 5. PARTNERSHIPS Seek opportunities to further collaborate with a variety of partners to ensure the efficient development, operation, maintenance, and stewardship of parks. 5.1 Increase collaboration, coordination, and partnerships with the River Raisin National Battlefield Park, Sterling State Park, the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, the City of Monroe, and other area recreation providers; 5.2 Explore alternative organizational approaches to managing the County park system; and 5.3 Actively pursue opportunities to leverage funding through public and private grant programs, sponsorships, and donations to assist in parkland acquisition and development.
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A C T I O N P ROGRAM
The action program details the manner in which the goals and objectives will be met. It includes a list of specific projects, as well as an improvement schedule with suggested capital improvement projects, a sequence of tasks, and strategies for implementation.
A C T I O N P LAN The following describes the specific projects and actions which are recommended to be accomplished during the planning period. Illustrations and plans showing the proposed park improvements and actions are also included to depict the proposed actions.
1. Maintain and upgrade existing County parks (all parks) This action includes replacing old equipment which is in a state of disrepair, outdated, or is dangerous, as well as improving the appearance of the parks and properties through appropriate landscaping and upkeep. All upgrades must be in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and efforts should be taken to remove all existing barriers to universal access. Proposed projects include:
A. Replace or upgrade aging play equipment as needed; B. Remove barriers to universal access; C. Ensure safety surfaces under playground equipment meet regulated depth and fall zones; D. Refurbish parking, walkways, sports courts, and other concrete and paved surfaces as needed; E. Replace and add park furnishings such as benches, trash receptacles, pet waste dispensers and signs; F. Maintain buildings, structures, and picnic shelters in good condition with roof repair, exterior painting and other renovations; G. Conserve and enhance natural areas and historical resources; H. Manage and improve existing tree canopy and vegetation; and I. Improve opportunities for natural resource-based recreation and develop new recreation facilities to respond to recreation needs.
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2. Maintain and improve Heck Park Suggested improvements include:
A. Sealcoat and repair paved walking path surface; B. Repair light fixtures and replace with LEDs; C. Add to the memorial theme with more historical features and interpretative signage; D. Improve the tree canopy for shade; E. Add picnic areas; and F. Work with volunteers to staff and provide longer open hours for the museum.
Figure 25. Heck Park Improvements
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3. Maintain and improve Nike Park Suggested improvements include:
A. Improve drainage of the front property; B. Resurface/pave front parking lot; C. Remove soccer goals; D. Provide a fenced-in dog area in an underused area of the park; E. Add a sand volleyball court; F. Improve the tree canopy for shade; and G. Manage the wooded area and improve the natural habitat.
Figure 26. Nike Park Improvements
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4. Maintain and improve Vienna Park Suggested improvements include:
A. Repair Picnic Shelter C and D roofs; B. Repaint Picnic Shelter D; C. Improve drainage of Baseball Field 5; D. Continue to enhance the disc golf course; E. Add sand volleyball court by Picnic Shelter A; F. Develop more trails with mile markers; G. Improve the tree canopy for shade; H. Manage the wooded area and improve the natural habitat; and I. Work with Bedford Baseball Club to improve backstops, player dugouts, and ball fields.
Figure 27. Vienna Park Improvements
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5. Maintain and improve Waterloo Park Suggested improvements include:
A. Repair Shelter A concrete slab; B. Upgrade/replace accessible fishing dock; C. Improve the canoe/kayak launch accessibility; D. Upgrade and replace play and exercise equipment, add play equipment for younger kids by Shelter B, and add electricity to Shelter B; E. Provide additional shore fishing stations; F. Add a new picnic shelter with access to the main playground; and G. Work with other groups to consider a pedestrian bridge connection over the River Raisin to the North Custer/Elm Avenue Pathway.
Figure 28. Waterloo Park Improvements
River Raisin
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6. Maintain and improve West County Park Suggested improvements include:
A. Continue to improve natural habitat and add interpretive signage; B. Add signage regarding the Macon Reserve and continue to coordinate with the River Raisin National Battlefield Park for preservation of archaeological sites; C. Enlarge the parking area; D. Develop a canoe/kayak launch site; E. Facilitate the use of the park for activities such as stargazing and/or meteor viewing; and F. Coordinate with Dundee High School cross-country team to offer the trails for running practice and events.
Figure 29. West County Park Improvements
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7. Maintain and improve the other County properties including the Navarre- Anderson Trading Post/Territorial Park, River Raisin Access Site, St Antoine Cemetery, and Loranger Square Suggested improvements include:
A. Improve the accessibility of the River Raisin canoe/kayak launches at both the Raisinville Township River Access site and the Trading Post; B. Maintain and restore the five existing structures at Territorial Park (the Papermill School, Navarre-Anderson Trading Post, Navarre-Morris Cabin and Replica Barn) and implement the planned enhancements to the site including interpretive signs, trails, period fences, outbuilbings, and gardens. C. Add more places to sit and repair donor bricks at Loranger Square; and D. Add more signage for interpretation of the historical sites at all County properties.
Figure 30. Territorial Park Conceptual Improvements
8. Develop an interconnected system of land and water trails This action includes:
A. Refine and continue to develop a concept for a county-wide interconnected system of land and water trails; B. Facilitate/coordinate an appropriate management and organizational structure with area recreation providers and community partners to implement, operate, and maintain the county-wide system; C. Develop bicycle and pedestrian accommodations with priorities including: A nonmotorized connection following N. Dixie Highway, US Turnpike Road, and West Jefferson Avenue north to the Downriver Linked Greenway and the Iron Belle Trail;
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A shared-use path along W. Seventh Street connected to the City sidewalk system west to Monroe High School and along an abandoned railroad bed west of Herr Road to Monroe County Community College and extending north along Raisinville Road through Monroe County offices and fairgrounds to reach the existing paved shoulder system along N. Custer Road at the Navarre-Anderson Trading Post; D. Develop and promote water trails with new canoe/kayak landings, a water trail and guide booklet, and additional opportunities for fishing in accordance with Monroe County’s Water Trail Master Plan recommendations; and E. Develop a marketing strategy for the system to attract support and sponsors, which could translate into a community walking and canoeing/kayaking map.
Figure 31. Monroe County Land and Water Trail Concept
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9. Increase community awareness and support of County parks This action includes:
A. Continue to facilitate the use of County parks for community groups and recreational programs; B. Expand use of County’s website to provide access to parks and recreation information; C. Improve entry signs and directional signs for all County parks; D. Increase volunteer efforts; and E. Participate in statewide and regional parks and recreation groups for advocacy, resources, and professional development (MRPA, SEMCOG).
10. Acquire and develop future parkland Land acquisition for developing new parks providing lake or river access or opportunities for park and trail development is also identified as important. Future park sites should be large enough for a variety of recreation uses such as walkways, trails, picnic areas, and other natural features providing habitat preservation and natural resource-based activities is also be desirable.
11. Administration and funding Increase collaboration, coordination, and partnerships with the River Raisin National Battlefield Park, Sterling State Park, the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, the City of Monroe, and other area recreation providers to promote the shared use of the area’s parks and recreation facilities; Explore organizational approaches to managing the County park system; and Actively pursue opportunities to leverage funding through public and private grant programs, sponsorships, and donations to assist in parkland acquisition and development.
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P ROJECT S CHEDULE Table 24 lists the individual projects along with the specific tasks to be accomplished, the project objective reference, a cost estimate, and potential funding sources. In addition, the projects are listed in a sequential order and a time frame for completion has been assigned. Short-term (ST) projects are recommended for completion within one to two years while long-term (LT) projects may take longer to be completed, within five to six years. Mid-term is between the two (MT). On-going projects (OG) include activities occurring on a regular basis.
Table 24. Capital Improvement Schedule
Project/Tasks Cost Funding Source Time Estimate Frame Goal
Heck Park Sealcoat and repair paved walking path surface 1 $3,000 Gen Fund ST Repair light fixtures and replace with LEDs 1 Tbd Gen Fund MT Add to the memorial theme with more historical features and 1 Tbd Gen Fund, Grants & Don LT interpretative signage Add shade trees and maintain native grass areas 1 $2,500 Gen Fund ST Add picnic areas 1 Tbd Gen Fund, Grants & Don MT Work with volunteers to staff the museum 1 - - OG Nike Park Pave front parking lot and improve drainage 1 $25,000 Gen Fund ST Provide a fenced-in dog area 1 Tbd Gen Fund MT Add a sand volleyball court 1 Tbd Gen Fund LT Add shade trees and manage wooded areas 1 Tbd Gen Fund OG Vienna Park Shelter roof repairs and painting 1 Tbd Gen Fund ST Enhance disc golf course 1 Tbd Gen Fund OG Add sand volleyball court by Picnic Shelter A 1 $8,000 Gen Fund LT Develop more trails with mile markers 1 Tbd Gen Fund MT Remove invasive species & supplement with native tree and 1 Tbd Gen Fund OG shrub plantings Waterloo Park Repair Shelter A concrete slab and add electricity 1 $3,000 Gen Fund ST Replace the accessible fishing dock and install an accessible 1 $25,000 Gen Fund, Grants & Don MT canoe/kayak launch Upgrade/replace play equipment 1 $40,000 Gen Fund, Grants & Don ST Add fishing stations 1 $75,000 Gen Fund, Grants & Don ST Add a new picnic shelter in proximity to the main playground 1 $30,000 Gen Fund, Grants & Don LT West County Park Remove invasive species and maintain native grass areas 1 Tbd Gen Fund OG Add interpretive signage 1 Tbd Gen Fund MT Enlarge parking area 1 Tbd Gen Fund, Grants & Don LT
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Work with River Raisin National Battlefield Park for preservation 1 Tbd Gen Fund OG and interpretation of archaeological sites and the Macon Reserve Install a canoe/kayak launch site 1 Tbd Gen Fund, Grants & Don MT Other Properties Improve canoe/kayak launches at Ida/Maybee Road and Trading 1 Tbd Gen Fund, Grants & Don ST Post Add seating in Loranger Square 1 Tbd Gen Fund MT Install more historic interpretive signs 1 Tbd Gen Fund LT
Land and Water Trails Coordinate an appropriate organizational structure with area 2 Tbd Gen Fund, Grants & Don ST recreation providers to implement, operate, and maintain a county-wide system of land and water trails Facilitate the development of the connection to Iron Belle Trail 2 Tbd Gen Fund, Grants & Don MT from N Dixie Highway north to Jefferson Avenue Facilitate the development of the connection along W. Seventh 2 Tbd Gen Fund, Grants & Don MT Street, Raisinville Road, and Territorial Park Develop a water trail guide and map, provide new canoe/kayak 2 Tbd Gen Fund, Grants & Don MT launches and fishing opportunities Develop a marketing strategy to attract support and sponsors 2 Tbd Gen Fund, Grants & Don OG
Community Awareness and Support Continue to facilitate the use of County parks for a variety of 3 - Gen Fund OG programs Expand website to increase access to parks and recreation 3 - Gen Fund OG information Improve signs and entrances at all County parks 3 - Gen Fund OG Increase volunteer partnership efforts 3 - Gen Fund OG Participate in statewide and regional parks and recreation groups 3 - Gen Fund OG (MRPA, SEMCOG)
Parkland Acquisition Acquire land which offer a location, setting, and size appropriate 4 Tbd Gen Fund, Grants & Don OG for a variety of natural resource based recreational uses
Administration & Funding Increase collaboration and partnerships with other area 5 - - OG recreation providers Explore organizational approaches to managing the County parks 5 - - OG Identify and seek fund raising and grant opportunities 5 - - OG
Tbd: To be determined, Gen Fund: General Fund, Don: Donations
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I MPLEMENTATION S TRATEGIES To accomplish the recommended actions during the next five years, it will be necessary to secure adequate funding. The current budgets provide a limited amount of money for parks and recreation facilities. Therefore, the following strategies are recommended in order to proceed as planned.
Apply for Federal Funding At the federal level, MDOT, in conjunction with SEMCOG, funds Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP). A minimum 20 percent local match is required for proposed projects and applications are accepted online on an on-going basis. Activities may include:
Provision of facilities for pedestrians and bicycles including new or reconstructed sidewalks, walkways, curb ramps, bike lane striping, wide paved shoulders, bike parking, off-road trails, bike and pedestrian bridges, and underpasses; Provision of safety and educational programs for pedestrians and bicyclists designed to encourage walking and bicycling; and Acquisition, planning, designing and constructing abandoned railway corridors.
Apply for State Funding At the state level, the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (MNRTF) and the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) continue to be the primary funding sources for parkland acquisition and development. The new Recreation Passport grant also offers some state funding to local units of government.
The MNRTF provides funding for the purchase and development of parkland for natural resource-based preservation and recreation. Grant proposals must include a local match of at least 25 percent of the total project cost. There is no minimum or maximum for acquisition projects. For development projects, the minimum funding request is $15,000 and the maximum is $300,000 in 2018. Applications are typically due April 1st.
The LWCF is a federal appropriation to the National Park Service, which distributes funds to the MDNR for development of outdoor recreation facilities. The focus of the program has recently been on meeting community recreation needs such as playgrounds, picnic areas, skate parks, ball fields, soccer fields, and walking paths. Minimum grant requests were $30,000 and maximum grant requests were $300,000 in 2018. The match percentage is 50 percent of the total project cost. Applications are due on April 2nd .
The Recreation Passport grant program offers funding for the development of outdoor public recreation facilities for local units of government. Minimum grant requests are $7,500 and maximum requests are $150,000 in 2018. The local match obligation was 25 percent of the total project cost. Applications are usually due on April 2nd as well.
The Coastal Zone Management Program provides grant funds to coastal communities to protect and restore healthy coastal ecosystems including fish and wildlife habitat, creating and enhancing public access to the Great Lakes and coastal resources, preserving historic maritime structures, revitalizing urban waterfronts, minimizing the loss of life and property in areas vulnerable to coastal hazards including erosion, floods, and dangerous currents, and increasing recreational opportunities along
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Michigan’s Great Lakes coast. The program is administered by the Michigan Department of Environmental quality. It is a state/federal partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Grants are usually due by December 31 with maximum grant awards no more than $100,000 and a one to one match required.
Other funding conducted in partnership with the MDNR is available through other state government divisions, such as the Fisheries Division (Inland Fisheries Grants) and the Forest Resources Division (Community Forestry Grants).
The Inland Fisheries programs consider projects that enhance habitat and fisheries, riparian property for public fishing use, water quality, and ecology. While not currently offered, they may become available in the future.
Municipalities may use Community Forestry grants to develop a management plan for a municipal forest which would include a component targeting outreach to private landowners. Grant requests may be up to $20,000 depending on the project type and applications are usually due in the middle of the summer. DTE Energy also offer tree planting grants for up to $3,000 to local municipalities in its service areas.
Apply for Other Grant Funding There are also a variety of smaller grant programs available for the establishment of greenways/ pathways or greenway-related facilities such as Bikes Belong Coalition. The Bikes Belong Coalition is sponsored by members of the American Bicycle Industry. Their mission is to put more people on bikes more often. The program funds projects in three categories: facility, education, and capacity building. Requests for funding can be up to $10,000 for projects such as bike paths, trails, lanes, parking, and safe routes to school. Applications are reviewed on a quarterly basis.
The DALMAC Fund also contributes grants to expand bicycling in Michigan. About $50,000 was expected to be awarded for 2018 and applications were due on March 1, 2018 with final decisions made by May 15, 2018.
Seek Other Sources of Funding Monroe County should investigate additional sources of funding. Seeking donations, attracting sponsors, and seeking out other revenue sources are methods that should continue to be pursued aggressively to raise funding for park acquisition and development.
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S U P P O R T I N G D OCUMENTS
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Supporting Documents
C O M M U N I T Y S URVEY The planning process for the Monroe County Parks, Trails and Recreation Master Plan included public input into the plan, which was received through an online survey and public meetings. The survey took place during the month of July 2018. A total of 90 responses were received. County residents were invited to provide opinions and ideas for improving the County parks. The survey was advertised through a newspaper article, television coverage, flyer, and posting on the County website. A tally of the responses is summarized as follows.
1. How many times have you or a member of your household visited our County parks and facilities over the past year?
Never 5 times or less 6 to 10 times Over 10 times Heck Park 51 23 2 8 Waterloo Park 48 28 4 4 Vienna Park 46 19 6 14 West County Park 68 9 2 1 Nike Park 61 21 0 1 River Raisin Access, Ida-Maybe Rd 60 14 5 4 Navarre-Anderson Trading Post, 44 26 8 5 Raisinville & N Custer Roads St. Antoine's Cemetery, N Custer Rd 68 9 2 2 Loranger Square, Downtown Monroe 39 20 9 14
2. How many times have you or a member of your household visited our regional parks in the past year?
Never 5 times or less 6 to 10 times Over 10 times River Raisin National Battlefield Park 35 43 5 5 Sterling State Park 14 35 16 23 River Raisin Heritage Trail 40 26 5 14 Pointe Mouillee State Game Area 60 19 2 2 Petersburg State Game Area 73 7 1 2
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3. Considering Heck Park, what were the primary reasons you visited this park and are there improvements you might suggest?
Reason for visit Suggested improvements Rest stop Plant more trees, not pleasant place for the summer, maybe take over the old quarry behind it for swimming Graduation Party, kind of None mandatory Vietnam memorial Open bathrooms Visit the Vietnam Memorial To see what was there None Haven't visited in a few years, Road access was poor Playground & sledding Swings, and some shade near the playsets Vietnam Memorial Playground Weird people park here To see veterans memorial Eat lunch. Look at the helicopters Better playground and equipment for bigger kids Took my dog Would love a dog park Walked with friend Friend took me there None Meeting Enjoy the outdoors Need a dog park Geocaching Wanted to take my son outside Walk Make it better for our community Picnic in park and look at fathers The park could use more shade name on wall Look at the helicopter Pokémon Go To sit in car and eat lunch Historical attraction. Increase picnic/eating area. Pokémon hunting When walking the trails we noticed drug paraphernalia and groups of teenagers smoking weed; did not seem like a place I want to bring children
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4. Considering Waterloo Park, what were the primary reasons you visited this park and are there improvements you might suggest?
Reason for visit Suggested improvements Picnic None Fishing More docks to fish from To look around Permanent restroom Picnic Shade in play area & better drainage Fish Passage Running, sightseeing None Love the area, the walk path On the river. Not very crowded. recreation Dog park Took my dog Would love a dog park Bike ride/walk, picnic Boat launch and spray for bees when they are in the pavilions Went for quiet Bike riding, walking Continue to keep it clean and grass mowed, trees and bushes trimmed back. Family reunion and putting canoe in river To see it None View river Use bike trail. The park is beautiful this year Meeting Enjoy the outdoors Need a dog park; this would be an excellent location Perfect place for Dog Park Geocaching Never been to Waterloo Fishing A second fishing dock, the playground equipment is very worn Party Better bathroom Birthday party Walking More activities Let the child play Updated equipment Picnic and playground Canoe rentals Fishing Playground Smooth access to launch my kayak
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5. Considering Vienna Park, what were the primary reasons you visited this trail and are there improvements you might suggest?
Reason for visit Suggested improvements Frolf Plant more trees. disc golf and picnic and baseball Recreation, playground Baseball Baseball field improvement Walk Playground Some New play equipment Disc golf Gates open year round The amazing disc golf Disc golf stuff, more lights, Wi-Fi. Picnic playground paved bike trails Baseball practice Fix the backstops. Make a diamond with grass and dirt infields. Disc golf quiet place to walk Better upkeep Rode my 4-wheeler Make it into a 4-wheeler park! Close to home Splash pad for kids and move the big kid swings closer to the other playground equipment Baseball Baseball diamonds - need updating Event Cleaner look Park use with my small children More swings in play area Baseball Cookouts Avid disc golf course is we play Baseball, family time Improved baseball fields benches and dugouts Walking my dogs and site seeing, Baseball fields need major improvements. It would be a nice park to play baseball at in playing baseball Bedford. We do not have any nice baseball diamonds with homerun fences and nice grass for the kids to play baseball. It would be great to see some modern updating to these diamonds, so kids of all ages could enjoy that baseball park. Please do this for our community. Picnic Grass cutting Baseball practice and picnic Walked with friend Dog walking Trails with mile markers and dog stations Field day - Amateur Radio Meeting Geocaching Family birthday Disc Golf Added signage at each hole. The map at the beginning of the course is nice though. Disc golf More disc golf picnic needs to be more handicap accessible
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6. Considering West County Park, what were the primary reasons you visited this trail and are there improvements you might suggest?
Reason for visit Suggested improvements Play Swings for all ages, shade. Native American memorial It is near where I live. It is lovely. Went for quiet Too see what was there Put some amenities there Walk Meeting Walking on trails, wildflowers Organize activities at the park, like a stargazing party or meteor viewing. Run the trails Keep the drug addicts out, have trash picked up on regular bases and keep the ATV (local neighbors) out. Regular maintenance on trails, the ATV's have torn the path up and have made deep holes. Would love to hike/run there. Would also like the county to propose the idea of it becoming a cross county track for the Dundee High School track team! Needs bathrooms and more parking. Walking Better trails, more activities, river access
7. Considering Nike Park, what were the primary reasons you visited this trail and are there improvements you might suggest?
Reason for visit Suggested improvements Tractor Show Needs more Trees Birthday party None Kids to play Update kid’s equipment event at park Tractor Show Checking it out. Signage did not know it was there. Looking for playground for grandkids. Play, airplanes & dogs Fenced in dog areas. Tractor Show This area needs to be converted into wildlife habitat with a “conservation easement” dedicated to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources for management. Pheasants Forever should be approached to design habitat programs i.e. Farming for Wildlife! Played with grandkids better lighting improve area for kids New sign on Grafton road from south Family picnic Need more for people to do Tractor show Tractor show Road rally Take my son and dog out Trash can near the soccer field Party Walking & Playground Restrooms Close to our home Maintain the playground equipment
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8. and 9. Considering any county facilities including the Navarre Trading Post, River Raisin Access Site, St Antoine Cemetery, and Loranger Square, what were the primary reasons you visited this recreation facility and are there improvements you might suggest?
Specify the facility Reason for visit Suggested improvements Navarre Trading post To tour Move to the River Raisin National Battlefield, make Frenchtown, an open brownsfield next to the tracks is not the greatest. Loranger Square Bike Rides Better lighting in the evening Navarre Anderson Trading learn history more interpretation Post Loranger Square Work downtown More tables and chairs Loranger square Photos Fill the fountains Navarre Anderson History of Monroe County/ Nature Support a millage for this site and other historical Trading Post (River Raisin observation/ Fishing sites in Monroe County. Make the Navarre Territorial Park) Anderson Trading Post (River Raisin Territorial Park) part of a “Metropark System” connecting the Huron/Clinton Metropolitan Authority (METROPARKS.COM) with Toledo Metroparks. Loranger Square Visiting Downtown businesses. More family friendly events. Navarre Sight seeing More seating Navarre post - the Pleasure Herb/flower beds not maintained museum store. Trading post not open but walked around the grounds. Enjoyed sitting by river. St. Antoine; Trading post; Family burial; Event; canoeing None; None; Put in a dock to assist people in River Raisin Access site launching Loranger square visited shops better lighting, better parking Loranger Square Christmas festival None Navarre Checked river height, watch the water More seating all 3 running and biking Raisin Access Site View of the river Loranger Square Activities taking place there Repair the donor bricks Loranger Walking Loranger square Walking to library, visiting downtown More bike racks nearby stores River Raisin Access Site To take out after paddling the river A clear portage around the dam at Grape! Trading post The history Put more historical things there Loranger Square Visiting downtown Host more events in area Trading post School group River raisin, Loranger Kayaking, walking, biking, jazz fest Loranger square is great, the water level at the square river raisin access site is usually too low for kayaks Ida Maybee access, Kayaking Easier launch points trading post River Raisin Access Site Canoeing Restrooms, river maps on site, canoe rentals. Loranger Square To relax Paint the fountain Black like it was, the blue looks cheap and does not match anything in town. It is not a swimming pool it is a fountain. The black is meant for the illusion of depth. Loranger Square event more places to sit or places for trash Navarre Trading Post To look at the historical items and
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Specify the facility Reason for visit Suggested improvements construction Navarre Anderson Trading Fishing - since dams downstream have Provide more fishing sites “public access” along the Post now known as the been removed or “modified”, fishing has River. “River Raisin Territorial improved dramatically. Park” Loranger Walking around downtown The sign this past weekend still had 2017 events on it. Need to update St Antoine cemetery Interest in Monroe history Love the kayak launch at Kayak down the river Make there be an exit for kayaks BEFORE THE Ida Maybe DAM, so we can put in at Dundee and have a way out that is not the Livery! All area before the dam is private property Scheduled events Navarre trading post Fishing Need more events all running and biking Navarre Trading Post Location by River Raisin No. Looks great. Navarre Candy with the kids Navarre trading post Learning about original location of trading post Navarre trading post Park trip with kids St Antoine Show granddaughter the history Have more about it there Loranger sq. In town Remove the corner chairs if still there. I love the music and celebrations, bed races, etc.!
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10. and 11. Considering any other park not County-owned, what were the primary reasons you visited this park and are there improvements you might suggest?
Specify the park Reason for visit Suggested improvements White Park/Indian creek Walk, playground Sidewalks on Douglas leading to them River Raisin National Curious Needs to recreate Frenchtown. The brownfield Battlefield next to the tracks is unappealing. Make it a place tourists want to see. St. Mary park events more shade Stoneco baseball park See if it was a good place to jog Better grass and trails. More trees. River Raisin Battle field to learn the history of the region in which I live Carr’s Grove park Baseball Field improvement Sterling State Park fishing, camping, boating, hiking, More trees in the campground, improve the snow shoeing beach area. Robert Laginess park Play Love what has been done! Plum Creek Bay Wildlife Eagles Need collaboration with City of Monroe, Monroe Area Charter Township, Michigan DNR, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Port of Monroe, DTE (Monroe Power Plant) and County of Monroe to restore the Plum Creek Bay Wildlife Area along E. Dunbar Road and Waters Edge Drive on LaPlaisance Creek. Sterling State Park Running, playground The path needs to be repaved. It is dangerous for jogging strollers and bikes. Sterling Running Improve paths Munson Park cross country meets Carr park Close to home Splash pad White Park Baseball, school field trip for Even as my kids grow older and do not use the playground/picnic, walking path baseball facilities, I would still love to see the fields improved. I think we could bring some local tournaments here to bring in some income as well. He kids deserve a safe and playable field. White park Baseball Field improvement, bathroom improvement and grading in field 6, to prevent flooding. Also, home run fencing Frenchtown #3 Bluebush Family reunion and walking. Running water but realize vandalism could occur- and Stewart rds. unfortunately Monroe Township Bike ride None recreation area Nature park at end of Oak, Walking exercise Grass and trees are overgrown, need cut back. Howard, Fox streets Brush piles removed. Indian Creek Walking and other sports Better field maintenance for sports Veterans park Relax More parking Ansted park Walking trail Munson Park Enjoying outdoors; walking, Add a dog park playing with dog Village of Estral Beach Take grandchildren, visitors Add an ice rink next to it; add net to basketball Playground there court for pickle ball racket sport. Plenty of room for Frisbee golf course. Sterling State Walking trails Clean up the dead fish laying everywhere
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Specify the park Reason for visit Suggested improvements Sterling state park Biking, walking along lake Munson Go for a walk, let my son play at None the park Parmalee Park Disc Golf New higher viability baskets would be great. A lot of downed trees need cleaned up this year. Parmalee Disc golf! More disc golf! Metroparks Relaxing, nature, lake, nearby. Sterling, River Raisin Kayaking, biking, walking, visit Keep working to make Monroe county bikeable, Battlefield museum kayakable, and walkable Metro Parks & Monroe Hiking/ Walking & Biking Clean restrooms, post coming activities schedule. City Parks Sterling state park walk the dog, fishing, Pokémon The trail is getting very bumpy and hard for bikes hunting and the wheelchair to safely travel over the pavement on the trail around the pond. Munson park playground/ soccer with MASA None. We love it! Lake Erie Metropark playground, trails Veterans park bird watching adult swings Sterling State Park to walk the beach and consider Cleaner beach and improve the water quality of going swimming Lake Erie Parmalee Baseball Field improvement Lake Erie Metro Park Play golf, lake access, More restrooms Sterling State Park Lake Erie Circle Tour Route change. The Lake Erie Circle Tour must be re-directed from I-75 at Exit 15 up N. Dixie Highway to the U.S. Turnpike in Berlin Township to W. Jefferson (S. Rockwood) to Biddle (Wyandotte) to W. Jefferson (Springwells/Fort Wayne). Veteran’s park is very nice and well maintained. So is St Mary’s park. Veteran's Park Walking Nothing that I can think of White Park Pickle ball Renovation of courts Wolverine park, Dundee Visit Munson Running or biking. Dog poop stations along the path. White Park Tennis courts and Pickle ball courts Middlegrounds - Toledo Use the dog park Excellent dog park Metroparks Banana Dike access just off Incredible walk, fishing, bike Has kayak launch that I have never been able to Roberts Road, Quarries riding, scenic. find. Carroll park Let my son play outside Some of the equipment needed maintenance Stone Co Park Disc Golf Finish the course, only about half of the holes are in and no course layout has been decided yet. Parmalee Park Disc golf! More disc golf! Answered above All parks Walking, biking. Connect parks with bike & walking trails. Complete the Greenway Plan. Would love to see a county swimming pool!
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12. Please indicate to what extent each of the following recreation facilities/activities are important to you. Mark each of the following on a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 is not important at all and 5 is extremely important.
1 - Not 2 - Slightly 3 - 4 - Very 5 - important important Somewhat important Extremely at all important important Walking/Running/Bicycling Paths or Trails 5 2 9 29 43 Nature Trails 3 6 15 30 33 Playground Structures 7 8 26 22 24 Picnic Areas and Pavilions 4 13 26 29 14 Ball Fields (Soccer, Baseball, Softball, etc.) 10 25 23 15 15 Sport Courts (Tennis, Pickleball, Basketball, 11 22 25 17 11 Volleyball, etc.) Skate boarding and/or BMX Bike Facilities 37 26 19 2 1 Cross Country Skiing Trails 38 18 16 8 5 Fishing 12 17 22 18 15 Canoeing/kayaking 10 10 20 21 25 Your suggestion Clear water access Keep areas clean and safe. Access to clean, maintained bathrooms and safe spaces very important, and seating at all parks We need safe off road running and biking trails in Bedford!!!! beach, swimming, camping, boat launch, marina Shade in play areas! Swings at sterling Restore the Plum Creek Bay Wildlife Area on E. Dunbar Rd. with regulated public access. Re-route the Lake Erie Circle Tour at Exit 15, I-75 as part of the M-DOT I-75 Corridor Conservation Plan for Monroe County (phase 5/I-75 corridor restoration project). Disc golf Wi-Fi. More lights to see. Dog park. More swings for all ages. Different types of playground equipment. I.e. roller slides. Recycled rubber mulch rather than wood mulch. Connect the paths, make use of the whole town, move north and south, send the bike path through downtown Splash pad because there aren't any in Bedford township Improve baseball diamonds Family friendly, separate reason at some of the same parks to fit the needs in the area of county. We have so many children involved with our baseball program. They deserve playable fields with a fence, proper dugouts and well-kept infields and outfields. I would love to see travel teams use the facilities for tournaments throughout August as well. Bedford keeps looking for a sledding hill and outdoor ice-skating rink. Extremely tired of driving to Toledo, Sylvania and beyond to do activities with my kids. There is also no bike paths or trails in our community. That is a huge draw for the Toledo metro parks. It is a pain to pack up all the bikes and drive 30-45 minutes. A community pool would be another wonderful asset. Cleanliness and accessibility f bathrooms. Changing tables for little ones in men and women's bathroom. Walking trails with pray control Baseball fields at Vienna Park need modern day updating. We all would love to have a nice baseball park here for kids of all ages to play with homerun fences and grass in fields, raised pitching mounds. Please More fishing areas easily accessible along the river for families. Is the pond at Munson stocked with any fish? Place a dog park at one of the parks Would love to have dog parks.
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Dirt paths are more comfortable to walk and run on. Need to keep trees trimmed up on all paths. Sterling state park needs to repave their trails...some are closed and others are too rough for bikes....have avoided riding out there for the past couple years Dog park and a water park Increase parking where possible, access to park made easier. Better basketball facilities that are closer to the road or parking area so they are easier to patrol. We really need a dog park in Monroe County. We regularly (at least twice a month) travel to Toledo, Saline and Detroit to enjoy their dog parks. We need a dog park in this county. We have to travel to Toledo or Saline to use theirs. These have limited overhead, limited maintenance, and state laws including governmental immunity and the dog bite statutes virtually eliminate any liability issues. Business Development database has a plan to install a beach like setting on the North Dike of Estral Beach. It would be accessible from Port Sunlight, allow hunters easier time to navigate the game area besides providing the lagoon access with a kayak launch, beautiful trails. Fish & Wildlife are looking for grants with me (Dave Emmerich, 734.872.1177) to develop the F&W area and make this possible. More walking paths that are stroller friendly. A way online to find all parks not just country or state parks. When I moved, I had a hard time finding parks with a walking path nearby. I had to ask on social media about the nearby parks. Have programs to highlight the parks and activities. Like a group paddle from the canoe launch or the suggested stargazing/meteor shower viewing. Something to show off the parks. [For West County, you might want to have police patrol in the evenings- seen some shady stuff out there late in the day!] Trees for shade while camping. We need more areas to fish, more docks and easier access. We have amazing fishing in the county, let us give people better access to it. Thorn park in Brownstown is amazing, it has an awesome playground AND a splash pad. It also has baseball diamonds. A new disc golf course would be great at one of the other county parks, even if it was only a 9-hole course. West County Park in Dundee needs serious attention! Disc golf!!!! food trucks Add things other parks do not have in the area. I just got back from Utah and they all have zip lines for kids, splash pads, and playground equipment you do not see out here. There parks are always packed because they are updated and exciting. Make it possible to kayak or canoe from Dundee to the lake. More nature trails in the woods. I'm an avid trail runner and frequently have to leave our county to find parks with longer and more abundant trail systems We really need a community swimming pool! I understand the great expense, but with the closing of the Dick Walters/Cantrick pool there is not a community pool for children to learn to swim. Facilities and activities need to be more handicap accessible. We have noticed even if things say accessible they are not. My husband has a hard time fitting into bathrooms because even though there is a stall for him the door is not wide enough or there is a tight turn or barrier right through the doorway. Family bathroom might be a good fix for this. We have young kids and the whole family loves to fish. However, the kids loose interest. We are always looking for a place that we can fish that has a playground very close so the kids can play. Sometimes the weeds are too thick near the shore to fish close to the playground structures.
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13. Which type of facilities or park would you be most likely to visit? Please mark the choices on a scale of 1 to 3 where 1 is your least likely to visit and 3 your most likely to visit.
1 - Least likely 2 - Likely to visit 3 - Most likely to visit to visit Parks with athletic fields and courts 40 30 16 Nature preserves with nature areas and nature/hiking trails 4 30 54 Neighborhood parks with playgrounds and benches 16 34 37 Bicycle/walking/running paths or trails 6 25 57 Indoor fitness center with gymnasium and fitness classrooms 44 25 18 Your suggestion A nice park to go for a jog and somewhere you can ride road bikes With as much lake front as Monroe county has there should be better lake access for multiple uses Nature areas and tourist attractions on the Lake Erie Circle Tour. Disc golf Park with a pool. Dog park Areas that have multiple items of interest to multi-generations Parks with real bathrooms not porta potties. And parks that encompass multiple sports and playground facilities Updated Baseball fields at Vienna Park, please. Parks with dog parks More connecting trails to each facility The small neighborhood parks do not get used. You’re better off selling and concentrating on making fewer parks better and continue to upgrade the bike/walking trail. Dog Park Dog park Indoor fitness at the Jefferson Rec center is an almost daily visit from me. Thank you, God, for this facility. Parks with fishing docks Splash pad/pool Disc Golf Course West County Park in Dundee needs serious attention! Disc golf course! County gym publicly funded with taxes Pool Accessible shore fishing
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14. How would you rank the following possible improvements to the overall community parks and recreation system? Please mark each of the suggested improvements on a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 is your least priority and 5 is top priority.
1 – Least 2 - Low 3 - 4 - High 5 - Top priority priority Medium priority priority priority Maintain/renovate existing county parks 2 1 15 29 36 Develop new facilities at existing parks 4 6 19 34 20 Develop more walking/bicycle paths within County parks 5 2 17 31 27 Develop a County-wide trail system 8 10 19 14 32 Develop/improve water trails 10 11 17 26 19 Preserve open space and natural areas 6 7 22 26 21 Acquire land and open space for future development 8 13 20 21 21 Your suggestion Keep Navarre trading post open more than sporadic hours or donate it to the National Park Develop adjoining bike and running trails in the Lambertville area neighborhoods!!! Place a county park west and south of Vienna. One of the most densely populated areas of the county has no county park. Kids need swings, and shelter in play areas. Restore the Plum Creek Bay Wildlife Area, re -route the Lake Erie Circle Tour to make County parks more accessible. Disc golf Make more pathways for walking trails Dog park Cousin for active people, rope courses. Improve baseball fields. Baseball diamonds rebuilt Beautification and preservation Please update the Baseball Diamonds at Vienna Park. Make picnic areas larger with more shelters. Install a dog park at one of the parks Dog Park Make part of playground areas shaded. Repave and maintain existing paths...maybe make bike path from Sterling state park all the way to Munson park WITHOUT having to keep crossing Elm/North Custer to stay on sidewalk Increase accessibility More walking/biking trails. I see more and more people using the walking path! So nice to see. Create a dog park Dog park! Appears geography access to the existing parks is limited for the Estral Beach community. Seems to want something closer. The Erie Metropark appears to be too pricey for residents use. Public fishing areas Swimming pool/splash pad West County Park in Dundee needs serious attention! New disc golf course! Publicly funded gym
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15. While not being considered at this time, would you support a future millage for the operation, maintenance, and development of County parks and recreation facilities?
Number Yes 63 No 4 No Opinion 19
16. Is there anything else you would like us to consider?
Comments Keep the history predominant at the Trading Post- it is a special place with special uses- other parks can supply the needs of skateboarders, baseball & athletics, playgrounds, etc. There is no other history "park" like it and the history needs to be preserved! Maintain what we have and then improve. Swings at St Mary's If the County has an operating surplus, the Monroe County Historical Museum(s) should be placed on the County Budget as originally conceived! Disc golf Make Vienna park the best park ever because it is! It’s so good! I love it! Dog park Update the baseball facilities at White Park and Indian Creek Splash pads and water slides! VIENNA PARK NEEDS A COMPLETE MODERN-DAY UPDATE TO THE BASEBALL DIAMONDS. PLEASE, WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE HOMERUN FENCES FOR THE KIDS IN OUR TOWNSHIP AND NICE FIELDS. I would love you to consider adding dog parks I think most people like clean, well-maintained parks with pavilions for rent, picnic tables, grills if possible, paths for walking and biking and playground areas for kids. The boat launches, etc. are icing on the cake. Continuing a bike/walking path from Munson all the way to Sterling State Park without having to keep crossing Elm/North Custer The County has a variety of beautiful, well-kept Parks for our citizens to enjoy. We are a very active family that enjoys the outdoors. Obviously, we really think that Monroe County needs a dog park as so many communities have them and they are used and appreciated by the citizens. We desperately need a dog park in this county. Just double consider the North Dike at Estral Beach development. Can provide more info if contacted (google earth photos, contacts at Fish and Wildlife). The park downtown Monroe where the Custer statue is needs to be updated. Everyone I know never wants to take his or her kids there because it seems dirty. They would rather go to Munson Park. Give people a reason to care about their parks. Partner with MCCC or EMU to highlight natural biology and geology of the area, get people to value the River Raisin and Lake Erie, and the unique ecosystems we have here. Take better care of the parks In order to consider a support in future millage, the county would have to show more interest in the West County Park! This park has been totally forgotten about! I hope I made it clear that I would love another county disc golf course!!! A publicly funded gym, and funding/ upgrading parks east of Navarre street We need to let people visiting the Sterling State Park, the Battlefield etc. know about what Monroe does have. Trail maps, park maps, coming events, as well as places to visit while in Monroe! With two young kids, I mostly value safe, clean playgrounds. It is nice to have benches in the shade for parents. My family would LOVE to have a fishing spot with a playground nearby because the kids loose interest in fishing and they can play. Most of the playgrounds that have fishing access are difficult to because there are too many weeds to snag our lines. Clean
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bathrooms are always a plus Rails to Trails. Abandoned railroad right of way along W Seventh St. could connect the city with MHS and MCCC. It continues to IDA and Petersburg. Former New York Central I believe. Rails to Trails is nationwide organization and has participated in similar projects throughout the state.
17. How old are you?
Age Number Under 25 4 25 to 34 19 35 to 44 24 45 to 54 18 55 to 64 19 65 and over 6
18. How many children under 18 live in your household?
Children Number 0 38 1 13 2 25 3 8 4 4 5 or more 2
19. In what zip code area do you live?
Zip Code Location Number 48162 Monroe (North) 29 48182 Temperance 23 48161 Monroe (South) 8 48144 Lambertville 9 48131 Dundee 6 48166 Berlin Township 5 48166 Newport 4 48117 Carleton 4 48140 Ida 3 48133 Erie 2 48145 LaSalle 1
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Supporting Documents
N OTI C E O F D R A F T P L A N A VAILABILITY FOR P U B L I C R EVIEW A N D P U B L I C H EARING
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M I N U T E S O F P U B L I C H E A R I N G
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M O N R O E C O U N T Y P A R K S A N D R E C R E A T I O N C OMMISSION R ESOLUTION
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M O N R O E C O U N T Y B O A R D O F C OMMISSIONERS R ESOLUTION
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L E T T E R S O F T RANSMITTAL T O R E G I O N A L A GENCI ES
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