Parks, Trails, and Recreation
Regional Solutions for the New Future of Southeast Michigan
The New Future
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, people turned to outdoor recreation like never before. Input from regional stakeholders has demonstrated that parks, trails, and recreation agencies provide essential services and infrastructure that advance equity, resiliency and well-being. This page provides an overview of what we've heard, regional highlights, challenges ahead, recommendations for the future, and resources to support your work.
Learn more about SEMCOG and MAC's New Future of Southeast Michigan series here, with topics covering travel and mobility , office and commercial space , remote work and education , healthcare , education and workforce , water infrastructure , government operations , and broadband .
Community Conversation
Watch the recorded conversation
What we heard
In May 2021, SEMCOG and MAC convened a community conversation for parks and recreation stakeholders to share their experiences from the past year and how it is shaping their plans for the future.
Representatives from across Southeast Michigan shared the many ways that parks, trails, and recreation agencies responded to the pandemic and supported their community's recovery by:
- Often serving community members with greater health risks and economic needs;
- Reaching a broader audience and serving record increases in park and trail users;
- Leveraging limited park and recreation spaces and staff to provide emergency health and social services in their communities;
- Developing innovative approaches to community engagement and education, with adapted services and wider-reaching programs;
- Providing essential health and wellness opportunities, with space for physical activity, access to nature, and community-based support systems;
- Maintaining environmental systems and enhancing their accessibility and amenities, while facing record-setting high water levels, more frequent and intense rainstorms and flooding, and an increasing number of days over 90 degrees.
Highlights & Challenges
Conversations covered local priorities, common challenges, project examples, and relevant resources around four broad and interconnected topics:
- Health & Wellness
- Conservation & Resilience
- Access & Inclusion
- Government Operations
Health & Wellness
Through virtual conversations, interactive polling, and follow-up surveys, stakeholders shared the ways that parks and trails supported their community's health and wellness. Perspectives from the past year and visions for the future about new priorities are summarized here (right) along with regional highlights and challenges (below).
Maybury State Park - Northville Township, Wayne County
Regional Highlights
Stakeholders from across the region saw mental and physical health benefits as the top ways that parks and trails supported their communities in the COVID-19 pandemic. Many communities used recreation facilities to support testing and vaccination sites, while continuing to serve an increasing number of people looking for access to nature or places to be active. Significant increases were noted throughout the region, with an average of 35% more visitors than the previous year reported by more than 65% of stakeholders.
Challenges Ahead
- How will we maintain momentum and continue to engage new users?
- Beyond the pandemic, how can we focus holistically on health?
The social determinants of health are about more than just access to parks, but how parks can benefit people's lives - with stormwater management, cooling shade, better air quality, and recreation opportunities for everyone to enjoy. – Chip Amoe, Henry Ford Health System
Conservation & Resilience
Through virtual conversations, interactive polling, and follow-up surveys, stakeholders shared the ways that parks and trails supported their community's conservation and resilience. Perspectives from the past year and visions for the future about new priorities are summarized here (right) along with regional highlights and challenges (below).
Conceptual rendering for recreation access at Walcott Mill Metropark - Ray Township, Macomb County (livingLAB)
Regional Highlight
Communities around the North Branch of the Clinton River in Macomb County are some of the fastest growing in the region, and have also experienced significant flooding in recent years. Macomb County Planning and Economic Development led a team of local and regional stakeholders to develop the North Branch Greenway Vision , which aims to reduce the impacts of future flooding in the riparian corridor, while establishing cross-county multi-modal recreation connections between the Freedom Trail and Macomb Orchard Trail.
The pandemic showed us all that access to nature is of utmost importance, not just an afterthought. It’s changing mindsets and planning approaches in many communities. – Gerry Santoro, Macomb County Planning and Economic Development
This vision represents Macomb’s first county-level planning effort to model future floodplain scenarios, protect infrastructure and new development from flooding, and increase recreation access in areas where it is limited.
Challenges Ahead
- How can we meet the growing demand for outdoor recreation opportunities close to home?
- Where can we strengthen our resilience to dynamic water levels, flooding, extreme heat, and air quality concerns?
There are 8 million acres of public land in Michigan, but only 200,000 in our region where all the people live and have to be able to get out and play. We need to significantly increase the amount of conservation and recreation land in Southeast Michigan. – Chris Bunch, Six Rivers Land Conservancy
Access & Inclusion
Through virtual conversations, interactive polling, and follow-up surveys, stakeholders shared the ways that parks and trails supported their community's access and inclusion. Perspectives from the past year and visions for the future about new priorities are summarized here (right) along with regional highlights and challenges (below).
Lake St. Clair Metropark - Harrison Township, Macomb County
Regional Highlight
Since adopting a Diversity Equity and Inclusion Plan in November 2019, the Huron Clinton Metroparks has been focused on improving their physical environment, programs, partnerships, marketing, communications, and other processes to be more accessible and welcoming:
- A public transit access plan is being developed for Lake St. Clair Metropark, which would be the first transit connection in the system;
- Partnerships with libraries have made daily park passes available to rent, and hotspots available for children without internet access at home to participate in virtual environmental education programs.
- At park entrances, a new program allows visitors who may not be able to afford the initial cost of an annual pass to trade in the daily passes they purchase for an annual one at a dollar-for-dollar rate.
- Universal Access improvements and adaptive equipment make a range of activities possible for people of all ages and abilities, from playgrounds and path surfaces to specialized golf carts and mountain bikes.
- As programs are developed and promoted, careful attention is being paid to how sensory and physical experiences are described, and how diverse audiences are engaged.
- Improvements are also being prioritized where they fill gaps in the system. This includes elements of the built environment like a new signature playground Lower Huron Metropark, or in the ways people engage in recreation like their partnership with the City of Detroit to provide free swimming lessons at public pools.
Equity and inclusion are issues we're trying to address systemically in all aspects of our work at the Metroparks. – Amy McMillan, Huron Clinton Metroparks
Challenges Ahead
- How do we reach and serve everyone in our diverse region?
- How will we provide welcoming and accessible public spaces?
Canton is a diverse area and we want to figure out a measurable way to make sure our recreation programming is socially equitable. More information about how to reach and serve everyone would help greatly. – Anne Marie Graham-Hudak, Canton Township Supervisor
Government Operations
Through virtual conversations, interactive polling, and follow-up surveys, stakeholders shared the ways that parks and trails supported their community's government operations. Perspectives from the past year and visions for the future about new priorities are summarized here (right) along with regional highlights and challenges (below).
Independence Oaks County Park - Independence Township, Oakland County
Regional Highlight
With support from 76% of voters, Oakland County Parks passed their first-ever millage increase in November 2020. “Like many folks in parks and recreation, we’ve gotten very good at doing more with less. Especially as our park system has significantly increased in size and services since the 1960s, and our rate has only decreased,” shared Melissa Prowse, Supervisor of Planning and Resource Development. In an effort to extend this investment beyond park boundaries, some of the additional revenue will support grant programs for local governments to develop trails and improve parks throughout the county.
We saw huge increases in use at our parks throughout 2020. We think it fueled people’s interest in seeing us re-invest in our facilities. We didn't know what to expect, but it was really exciting to see how much residents want to support their parks. – Melissa Prowse, Oakland County Parks
Challenges Ahead
- How will we sustain our systems with growing demand fewer resources?
- Where can we find supplemental funding sources that fit our project needs?
Staffing is a challenge. Temporary and part time jobs like lifeguards, referees, and maintenance staff that are typically taken by high school and college students are going unfilled. – Jeff Muck, City of Novi Parks
We’re seeing increased maintenance needs where we haven’t before, which tells us we’re also getting more users where we haven't before. Our goal is to keep parks open and accessible while teaching everyone to be better stewards.” – Jim Bier, St. Clair County Parks and Recreation Commission
Regional Priorities
The following themes emerged as priorities from the conversation. To ensure a future where all people in Southeast Michigan share in the benefits of parks, trails, and recreation, communities and organizations should take local actions that align with these regional goals.
1. Invest in parks as a social determinant of health
Implementation Examples
- Increase green space where it has the greatest opportunity to improve public health.
- Support partnerships between healthcare and recreation providers.
Planning & Data Resources
The pandemic conditions increased demand for outdoor recreation space, particularly in areas where it is already limited. 65% of Southeast Michigan residents live in communities where the amount of park space is below regional and national standards, as shown on the map at left. While recreation needs vary by local context, the median for Southeast Michigan communities is 22 acres of park land per 1,000 residents. Nationally, communities typically provide around 10 acres per 1,000 residents.
Increasingly, research demonstrates a strong link between the amount of green space in a community and health outcomes. The CDC's PLACES project provides local data about health-related behaviors and outcomes to assist in public health planning. PLACES indicators that are particularly relevant for parks and recreation include self-reported low levels of physical activity, and frequent mental health distress.
Source: PLACES Project. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. July 2021. https://www.cdc.gov/places
2. Engage diverse users with inclusive programs, amenities, and a welcoming atmosphere
Implementation Examples
- Create recreation opportunities that reflect community needs.
- Provide accessible communications and inclusive signage.
Planning & Data Resources
SEMCOG’s Equity Emphasis Areas tool is an interactive application that provides a detailed summary of key demographic variables. The tool can be used to learn about our current socioeconomic conditions and build a data-driven understanding of what a community needs to support inclusive planning, outreach, and public engagement.
Source: SEMCOG
3. Expand the quality and quantity of recreation opportunities in the places people live
Implementation Examples
- Increase park and recreation spaces to accommodate increasing users and changing travel patterns.
- Enhance amenities and infrastructure for healthy activities, like walking, running, hiking, or biking.
Planning & Data Resources
The Trust for Public Land's ParkServe® prioritizes areas for park development that increase 10-minute walking access to parks, based on data analysis that weighs population density, demographics and socioeconomic status, health indicators, and environmental justice factors.
For each community that falls within these areas, ParkServe® also identifies up to five optimial places where new parks would reach the most people within a 10-minute walking distance.
Source: ParkServe®. The Trust for Public Land. July 2021. https://www.tpl.org/parkserve
4. Provide equitable access to regionally significant parks for transit, walking, and biking networks
Implementation Examples
- Expand transit service to large regional parks.
- Connect regional trails and increase access to trailheads.
Planning & Data Resources
Understanding how many Southeast Michigan households have access to recreation opportunities can help communities plan improvements that serve more people. SEMCOG's Access to Park Analysis Tool measures travel times between the region’s parks and households for walking, biking, driving and transit, allowing users to search by park amenities and demographic groups.
Source: SEMCOG's Parks and Recreation Plan for Southeast Michigan . Learn more about SEMCOG's work on access to core services and transportation planning .
5. Support climate resilience with sustainable development and environmental conservation
Implementation Examples
- Conserve and protect recreation land to meet goals for accessibility and climate resilience
- Prioritize green and resilient infrastructure solutions in parks and public open spaces, including stormwater management systems, adaptive shorelines, and habitat restoration
Planning & Data Resources
SEMCOG's Green Infrastructure Vision identifies potential locations for acquiring new recreation or conservation land, implementing green streets, and increasing tree canopy.
Source: SEMCOG's Green Infrastructure Vision for Southeast Michigan. Learn more about SEMCOG's work on climate resilience and environmental planning.
Implementing this vision will lead to a more resilient region, especially within communities and watersheds experiencing population growth.
The Trust for Public Land's ParkServe® also identifies locations where new recreation space has the greatest potential to improve the urban heat island effect, while also increasing 10-minute walking access.
Share Your Perspective
Resource Library
Additional resource links, planning tools, and project examples are listed below to support the new future for parks, trails, and recreation in your community.
Parks
- Access to Parks Analysis Tool - transportation network modeling to understand where people live in relation to different park amenities;
- Parks and Recreation Plan for Southeast Michigan - regional policies and actions adopted by SEMCOG in 2019;
- Southeast Michigan ParkFinder® - an interactive inventory of every park in the region and the amenities they offer.
Trails
- Bicycle and Pedestrian Mobility Maps - interactive maps of existing and planned networks for walking and biking;
- Great Lakes Way - vision map for a connected system of greenways and blueways to follow the region's Great Lakes coast;
- Southeast Michigan Trail Explorer - 360 degree imagery for hundreds of miles of greenways and water trails;
- Trail Condition Evaluation Tool - a regional platform and rating system for collecting and sharing data on trail maintenance needs.
Community Engagement
- Community Explorer - regional data on population, household demographics, housing, and economic status;
- Broadband Availability and Usage - service areas for broadband availability, with internet and computer use by demographic groups;
- Equity Emphasis Areas Tool - key demographic and socioeconomic indicators to understand community needs;
- Increasing Shared Prosperity for a Resilient Economy - Southeast Michigan's comprehensive economic development strategy, including strategies for creating and marketing quality places.
Continuing Education
- Webinar: Collaborating Across Communities to Support Walking, Biking, and Recreation - highlights from multi-jurisdictional projects, recorded August 2020;
- Webinar: Economic Benefits of Parks - a case study example from the Huron Clinton Metroparks, recorded November 2020;
- Webinar: Natural Resources Trust Fund Round Table - a discussion with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources about the state's largest source of grant funding for parks, recorded December 2020;
- Webinar: Parks and Recreation Data - a user guide to SEMCOG's data resources, recorded April 2020;
- Webinar: Reimigining Outdoor Recreation in Response to COVID-19 - examples of virtual or adapted programing from regional stakeholders, recorded May 2020;
