1999 Royal Oak Parks and Recreation Master Plan City of Royal Oak, Michigan Prepared by: 32605 W. Twelve Mile Road, Suite 165 Farmington Hills, Michigan 48334 Telephone: (248) 553-0290 Facsimile: (248) 553-0588 February 1999 Acknowledgments The participation and cooperation of community leaders, residents and members of civic organizations in the preparation of the 1999 Royal Oak Parks and Recreation Master Plan is greatly appreciated. In particular, we acknowledge the efforts of the following individuals: Royal Oak City Commission Royal Oak Plan Commission Dennis G. Cowan, Mayor Mike Kondek, Chairperson Michael Andrzejak, Mayor Pro-Tem George Gomez, Vice-Chairperson Marie L. Donigan Edward Anderson Laura J. Harrison James Boismier Thomas E. Kuhn Dennis Cowan, Mayor Ilene M. Lanfear Jim Farhat Peter H. Webster Laura Harrison, City Commissioner Sara Hofman Christopher Lee City Manager Lawrence M. Doyle Royal Oak Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Brett Tillander, Chairperson Robert Weber, Vice-Chairperson Ann Hubbarth, Secretary Gary Andrus Gretchen Greenwood Ilene Lanfear, City Commissioner Frank Mattis Mark Ryan Wendy Thompson Ingrid Clover, Previous Member Shirley Evoe, Previous Member Royal Oak Department of Recreation and Public Service Tom Trice, Director Greg Rassel, Superintendent of Public Works Tod Gazetti, Superintendent of Recreation 1999 Royal Oak Parks and Recreation Master Plan i McKA - February 1999 Table of Contents Cover Title Page Acknowledgments............................................................................................................................ i Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................ii List of Maps ................................................................................................................................... iv List of Tables.................................................................................................................................. iv List of Figures ................................................................................................................................ iv I. Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 3 II. Community Description...................................................................................................... 5 A. Regional Location ................................................................................................... 5 B. Development History .............................................................................................. 6 C. Population and Social Characteristics..................................................................... 8 1. Trends and Projections................................................................................ 8 2. Age Structure............................................................................................... 9 3. Racial and Ethnic Composition................................................................. 10 4. Education................................................................................................... 10 5. Employment and Income........................................................................... 11 6. Housing Characteristics............................................................................. 12 D. Physical Characteristics......................................................................................... 13 1. Environmental Features............................................................................. 13 2. Climate ...................................................................................................... 13 3. Existing Land Use Characteristics ............................................................ 14 E. Transportation and Residential Patterns................................................................ 15 1. Circulation................................................................................................. 15 2. Housing Density........................................................................................ 15 F. Historic Recreation Sites and Districts.................................................................. 16 1. Historic Locations ..................................................................................... 16 1999 Royal Oak Parks and Recreation Master Plan ii McKA - February 1999 III. Inventory of Recreational Facilities and Programs ........................................................... 17 A. Overview ............................................................................................................... 17 B. Municipal Facilities............................................................................................... 17 C. School Facilities .................................................................................................... 22 D. Private Recreation Facilities.................................................................................. 22 E. Regional Recreation Resources............................................................................. 23 F. Recreation Programs ............................................................................................. 26 IV. Parks and Recreation Administration................................................................................ 36 A. Administrative Organization................................................................................. 36 B. Parks and Recreation Funding............................................................................... 38 V. Basis for Action Plan.........................................................................................................46 A. Analysis of Existing Facilities and Service Areas................................................. 46 B. Summary of Public Input ...................................................................................... 46 3. Recreation Deficiencies......................................................................................... 59 VI. Action Program: Recreation Master Plan.......................................................................... 61 A. Programming......................................................................................................... 61 B. Administration and Organization.......................................................................... 62 C. Recreation Land .................................................................................................... 63 D. Facilities ................................................................................................................ 63 E. Access to Facilities................................................................................................ 64 F. Action Items .......................................................................................................... 66 G. Capital Improvement Program .............................................................................. 68 1999 Royal Oak Parks and Recreation Master Plan iii McKA - February 1999 VII. Recreation Master Plan Development............................................................................... 74 Appendix A .................................................................................................................................A-1 Appendix B ................................................................................................................................. B-1 Information Sources ...................................................................................................................... 80 Acknowledgments......................................................................................................................... 81 Notes.............................................................................................................................................. 82 List of Maps Map 1: Regional Location ............................................................................................................... 7 Map 2: Existing Parks & Recreation Facilities.............................................................................. 21 Map 3: Existing Regional Recreation Facilities ............................................................................ 25 Map 4: Park & Playground Service Areas..................................................................................... 54 Map 5: Project Location Map ........................................................................................................ 73 List of Tables Table 1: Total Population and Estimates............................................................................... 8 Table 2: Number of Households and Projected Estimates .................................................... 9 Table 3: Population Age Structure ........................................................................................ 9 Table 4: Racial and Ethnic Composition............................................................................. 10 Table 5: Occupational Status............................................................................................... 11 Table 6: Housing Units and Occupancy.............................................................................. 12 Table 7: Existing Recreation Facilities Inventory ..............................................................