The purpose of a public hearing regarding the proposed Parks and Recreation Master Plan in Sumpter Township Jan. 10 apparently confused some of those in attendance.
As audience members continued to question plans for the renovation and reconstruction of the parks, officials repeatedly explained that there had been no plans as yet submitted or proposed for any such major park project. Officials explained that the plan being discussed for approval was the five-year parks and recreation plan which did not include any major renovations or changes. Those plans, trustees explained, would come at a future date and be publicly discussed before any action would be taken.
The Jan. 10 hearing was scheduled solely for public input on the proposed Parks and Recreation Master Plan for the township. That agenda item was eventually approved during the regular meeting of the board members which followed the public hearing.
Chris Nordstrom who worked on the five-year plan said he thought the plan presented to the board members met the expressed wishes of township residents. He told the board members that there were grants available in the amounts of $300,000 and $150,000 for park projects. He said that a brief survey of township residents determined that priorities were useable facilities for children and seniors and trail development at the current township parks. He said there was no consensus among those surveyed of the location of trails but the preserving of natural resources was important to township residents who responded to the survey.
One resident questioned the proposed plan saying that he believed there were only 24 responses to the survey which, he said, was not a good indicator of what people in the township want. "People like it the way it is," he said.
He said the park had been damaged and neglected during the past two years and the drug problems at the parks "have been a disgrace." He told the board members that the lavatories at the parks were unusable and that vehicles speed up and down the streets leading to the park entrance. He suggested the township repurpose one of the police cars being replaced and use the vehicle for security at the park which he described as "a simple solution."
"It's only one mile to the MetroParks with more amenities," he said, criticizing previously discussed suggestions for reconstruction or improvements at the park.
