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2003 Kent County Parks Recreation and Natural Areas Master Plan Update
Every five years the Kent County Parks Department updates its Master Plan. The plan ties together the past, present and future in a cohesive, thoughtful manner. It is also a necessary step in securing grants from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR).
The Executive Summary of the 2002 Recreation Needs Assessment for Kent County Parks, and the Capital Improvement Schedule for 2003-2007 are presented below. The full 2003 Recreation and Natural Areas Master Plan may be reviewed at the Kent County Parks Department Administrative Offices.
2002 Recreation Needs Assessment for Kent County Parks Executive Summary
by
Dr. Charles M. Nelson, Associate
Professor
Rebecca Jennings and Jennifer Henschell,
Graduate Students
Michigan State University Department of
Park, Recreation and Tourism Resources
January 28, 2003
INTRODUCTION
As part of the process to update the Kent County Parks Master Plan, personnel from the Department of Park, Recreation and Tourism Resources of Michigan State University conducted a recreation needs assessment. A county-wide mail survey was used to elicit information from residents. This survey was similar to the one used in the most recent (1997) needs assessment. The residents were systematically selected with a random start from voter registration records.
RESULTS
Of the 1,000 persons mailed the questionnaire, the U.S. Postal Service returned 118 mailings undelivered because the addressee no longer lived at the address and the forwarding order, if any, had expired. Of the 882 valid addresses, 437 (50%) responded.
Park Use
Of the respondents, 52% reported one or more household members had visited one or more of the 36 Kent County Parks during the past year. A map and name list of the parks was provided so parks in other jurisdictions would not be confused with Kent County Parks. The remaining 48% of the households had not visited a Kent County Park in the past year. The most visited parks managed by the Kent County Parks Department were Kent Trails, Fallasburg, Townsend, Wabasis, Johnson, Palmer, White Pine, Walker, and Long Lake.
Contrast of Park Visitors to Non-Visitors
Park visitors were likely to participate in a greater variety of recreational activities than non-park visitors. In Kent County Parks, they were most likely to walk/hike, observe nature, picnic, use a playground, bicycle or take a scenic drive. Kent County Park activities that were most important to park visitor households were walking/hiking, bicycling, picnicking, observing nature and playground use. Park visitors were also more likely to have children under 18 in their family and to be younger. Proportions of race and gender for park visitor respondents were slightly more likely to be white and male than for those who did not visit the Kent County Parks in the past year.
Land Acquisition
Kent County Park visitors and non-visitors were both supportive of acquiring additional land for Kent County Parks. The strongest support was for acquiring land focusing on nature conservation by park visitors and non-visitors. Park visitors were also highly supportive and non-visitors moderately supportive of acquisition for foot/bicycle trails. Support was moderate from both groups for acquisition of more land to expand the range of recreation opportunities. Both park visitors and non-visitors were opposed to a land acquisition moratorium.
Expectations and Park Performance
When park visitors were asked to rate the performance of the Kent County Parks, their most favorable ratings were for the parks' overall beauty, wildlife/nature, level of crowding and price. They were least favorable about the programs, safety and security and facilities. However, even those aspects had an average rating between "OK" and "Good". When Kent County Park visitors were asked what park characteristics were important to them in visiting any park or recreation site, cleanliness and safety and security were rated most important. Comparison of these importance ratings with the performance of the Kent County Parks suggests that the expectations of park visitors in regards to cleanliness and safety and security are not being fully met.
Those who hadn't visited a Kent County Park in the past year also rated cleanliness and safety and security as the most important characteristics when visiting any park or recreation site. Hence, improvements in cleanliness and safety and security would improve the situation for current visitors and make the parks more attractive to potential visitors.
Operations Funding
Both park visitors and non-visitors supported maintaining the current sources of funding for park operations. These include county general tax dollars and user fees for facilities/services one would expect to pay for elsewhere such as golf, camping and shelter/facility rental. A majority of both visitors and non-visitors were opposed to or expressed no opinion about a millage of .25 mills for park operations or an entry fee for the parks.
Park Facilities
When asked what existing park facilities should be expanded, park visitors and non-visitors were most likely to recommend paved foot/bicycle trails, nature study areas and swimming beaches. Park visitors also were likely to mention unpaved foot/bicycle trails, where non-visitors were also likely to mention picnic areas and campgrounds. There was little support for expansion of baseball/softball diamonds, soccer fields, tennis courts and disc golf courses. When selecting from a list of proposed new facilities suggested by the Kent County Parks staff, visitors and non-visitors were most supportive of a developed nature center, outdoor ice rink and a dog park.
Park Programs
When asked what current programs to expand, park visitors and non-visitors were most supportive of more music concerts and family fun festivals. The least support was for providing more golf tournaments and runs or races. From a short list of proposed new programs, both groups were most supportive of nature programs and watercraft safety training.
Changes Since 1997 Survey
Kent County residents, both park visitors and non-visitors, increased their support for land acquisition for conservation and non-motorized trails since the 1997 survey. Participation in outdoor recreation also appears to have increased as higher percentages of respondents participated in 21 of 30 selected outdoor recreation activities. Cleanliness and safety and security remain the two most important factors in choosing recreation sites for park visitors and non-visitors.
CONCLUSION
The survey results show the Kent County Parks are enjoyed by large proportion of the households in Kent County. They also suggest that improvements need to be made in maintenance, safety and security and in the expansion and creation of selected facilities and programs. Finally, they demonstrate that there is strong support among residents for continued growth in the system to meet the needs of future generations for outdoor recreation and green space.
Capital Improvement Schedule 2003-2007
Table VI-1 is a compilation of the park projects that the Kent County Parks Department proposes to complete in the next five years. Some of the projects may be funded by grants from the state and federal government as well as by the County government.
TABLE VI-1
|
||
|---|---|---|
| Projects | Cost Estimates | Fund Source |
| 2003 | ||
| Wahlfield Park - phase I development | 500,000 | 1,2 |
| Wahfield Park - acquire additional land | 500,000 | 4 |
| Thornapple Trail paving | 800,000 | 1,5,6,7 |
| Caledonia Township - land acquisition | 100,000 | 1,6 |
| Lowell Township - land acquisition | 750,000 | 1 |
| Kent Trail - develop additional parking | 50,000 | 1 |
| Millennium Park - land acquisition | 3,000,000 | 1,2 |
| 2004 | ||
| Caledonia improvements | 200,000 | 1 |
| Gordon Park redevelopments | 200,000 | 1 |
| Gaines Township - land acquisition | 2,000,000 | 1,2 |
| Cannon Township - land acquisition | 1,000,000 | 1,2 |
| Millennium Park Development | 1,500,000 | 1 |
| Lowell Township-land acquisition | 1,000,000 | 1,2 |
| 2005 | ||
| Wahfield Park - phase II | 1,000,000 | 1,2 |
| Luton Park - phase I development | 1,000,000 | 1,2 |
| Vergennes Township - land acquisition | 500,000 | 1,2 |
| Southbelt Trail development | 2,000,000 | 1,7 |
| Lepard Nature Center development | 100,000 | 6 |
| Millennium Park Development | 3,000,000 | 1,2,3 |
| 2006 | ||
| Byron Township - land acquisition | 1,000,000 | 1,2 |
| Thornapple River property - phase I devel. | 1,000,000 | 1,2 |
| Acquire additional riverfront property | ||
| 2007 | ||
| Lowell Township Regional Park - Phase I devel. | 1,000,000 | 1,2 |
| Douglas Walker improvements... | 1,000,000 | 1,2 |
| Rouge River - phase II development | 1,000,000 | 1,2 |
| Acquire land in Plainfield Township | 1,000,000 | 1,2 |
- County Parks Fund
- Michigan Land Trust Fund*
- Land & Water Conservation Fund (LWCF)
- Future DNR Bond Fund*
- Community Block Grant Money
- Township Funds
- MDOT Enhancement Funds*
*=A local match of funds will be made by the County.
