Cooperation Ball Park, Cheboygan County. (Photo Courtesy of Theodore Haskell.)

Cooperation Ball Park, Cheboygan County. (Photo courtesy of Theodore Haskell.)

Local Government Parks Services

Theodore Haskell

Gaylan Rasmussen

Local parks give people easy access to open space, recreation facilities and programs throughout their daily lives as well as on vacations and special trips. As Michigan communities grew, departments were structured within local government to deal with two sets of values:

land values (dealing with parks) and human values (dealing with recreation). It is the human use of the land for leisure and recreation that gives it value to the community. This justifies the use of public funds to enhance the quality of life in the community. Many people in Michigan consider their parks as “green islands.” The green grass and shade trees provide times and

places to “re-create” balance in their lives. In providing for this public use park and recreation agencies plan, develop, and operate their programs and services within the larger environment of the community. Well maintained shade trees, lawns and flowerbeds in the parks tell residents and visitors alike that the community “plans to be here” for a long time. To insure delivery of these services, park and recreation departments, board and commission members, administrators and their staffs, should constantly plan, operate, and above all, evaluate results.

Local parks are established, operated, and maintained by the authority of local governmental units including: City parks, Township parks, County parks, and Metropolitan parks (multi-county). In addition the Michigan Department of Transportation roadside parks and rest areas, operated by the state primarily for travelers and tourists, serve as sites for local picnics and related uses. Local parks provide facilities for both active and passive recreation activities. Sometimes both local government agencies and private sector concessionaires provide a variety of recreational services, sports areas, ball fields, beaches and swimming pools in the local parks.

Though much has been done since the cow pasture baseball of the last century, the environment, both physical and social, keeps changing in Michigan. Like the chameleon whose skin changes from browns to greens as it moves through the leaves, local parks and recreation departments also should keep changing. The decisions of the past are out of reach behind us; the future will be shaped by the decisions that we make in the present.

History of Local Parks and Recreation in Michigan:

The practical development of local parks and recreation services in Michigan began in 1913 with the first of several “enabling acts.” These state acts gave legal authority to spend public money to provide services and facilities that individuals found difficult or impossible to provide for themselves.

How Early Departments Were Created

Before World War I, most Michigan local parks were resource-based. Community open spaces provided walks, benches, lawns and flower beds, shade and ornamental trees. River banks and walkways provided for promenades and fishing. As people had more time for leisure, local park boards and commissions developed parkways for carriages, bicycles and automobiles, and open spaces for picnics. By mid-century interest in competitive sports resulted in greater emphasis on organized recreation programs. Local parks responded with facilities for baseball, softball and slow-pitch, tennis, golf, and more recently for shuffleboard and basketball.

Many of the older cities found that as “urban sprawl” swept out from the old urban core the countryside was no longer a short walk from the downtown. Plans were made for “green space” inside the cities. Larger parks on the developing edges and school/parks and “miniparks” to provide access to open spaces anywhere in town were created with the help of Michigan’s “$100 million bond issue” and federal “open space grants.”

The situation was different in the suburban areas. Building lots in the post World War II subdivisions were larger and lawns were greener. More emphasis was on the joint school-park sites that might share three acres plus three acres for a school-park of six acres, or even more. Cooperative maintenance agreements were more cost effective. Jobs were opening for the

60 Recreation in Michigan: Great Professional Opportunities

young professionals that began to graduate from the new park and recreation curricula in Michigan schools.

No one was really worried about “open space” in the rural areas. A great view began from the back porch. The county park and recreation boards, operating under the new enabling acts, have been responding to community requests for organized sports and the development of sports fields.

Current Status

In the early 1980s the Municipal and County Park and Recreation Study (MACPARS) tried to define and describe the role of the typical park and recreation department. The study included responses from 1,242 local full time park and recreation departments in 49 states. According to MACPARS the typical department spent about $17 in 1985 operating funds/citizen served. Sources of funding were property taxes (65%), other taxes (10%), user fees (19%) and other sources (6%). Permanent staff served 2,750 citizens per staff member. The ratio of permanent-to-seasonal staff was about 1 to 5.

In 1985 at the national level, the typical local park department managed about 8 sports fields, 8 tennis courts, and 4 basketball courts, 1 pool, 1 golf course, 5 playgrounds and 1 recreation center. Natural resource-oriented features included 4 camping sites, 1 organized camp, 80 acres of natural areas, 18 acres of lakes, and 6 miles of various kinds of trails. Athletic programs represent more than 1/3 of all programming in small communities. In larger communities, however, programs for the arts and social activities were gaining. Programs for the various special populations were offered by about of the departments nationwide. Departments emphasized service to the mental health related and mentally retarded populations. Programs for the gifted and multi-handicapped were almost non-existent. Programs for seniors were offered in 2/3 of the departments. Michigan falls within the Midwest Census Region and the NRPA Great Lakes Region. In the Great Lakes region, averages of outdoor facilities and sites included 9 playgrounds, 15 sports fields, 11 tennis courts, 8 basketball courts, 2 swimming pools, and 2 golf courses; averages of indoor sites: 2 recreation centers, 3 gyms, and 3 racket/handball courts.

The top 50 cities in Michigan have park and recreation departments. The Michigan Recreation and Park Association lists 180 agency memberships, 792 individual professionals, and 689 Board and/or Commissioners (MRPA, 1995).

On a national ranking of 15 issues or concerns for local parks, the top three were maintenance of (1) sites and (2) facilities and (3) adding new, mostly outdoor, ones. Funding, information, and help were also significant. Many comments emphasized the need for outside assistance to provide a basis for meeting future needs (MACPARS, 1988).

Role of Park and Recreation Services

Park and recreation services are amenities which enhance the quality of life within a particular community. Opportunities are provided to residents for healthful physical, social, and emotional activities. This is done through the development of parks, facilities, and recreation activity programs.

Local Government Parks Services 61

Services to community residents should be balanced with economic reality. Some services to the public are deemed to be of such high social value that economic barriers should not stand in the way of participation or use. Other services which are viewed as beneficial and are of interest to a smaller number of people require a user fee to defray or cover all or part of program expenses.

At one end of the “recreation yardstick” is the public role of providing for recreation facilities and programs. These are paid from the public funds and are available at no charge to all residents and visitors.

The middle position is held by the role of revenue producing special services. The client groups here are also mostly residents, but often include regional visitors. Their need is for special facilities that they wish to enjoy and for which they are willing to pay (Example: golf courses). Since they may not be needed by all residents, these facilities should not be subsidized entirely by general tax funds, although taxpayers may receive certain indirect benefits.

At the far end of the yardstick is the role of recreation as an income-producing industry. This clientele group is made up mostly of people from outside the area, drawing from a statewide or even a multi-state market. Recreation facilities of this sort, primarily because of their income producing goal, are most often found in the private sector. Private capital is invested, jobs are created, and these activities usually generate substantial income throughout the local community. Governments may own the land and lease the operation to a concessionaire. They may operate some sites directly if no private interest is willing or able to provide these services.

The decision-makers and policy-makers should recognize this range of recreation function and have a firm understanding of the proper “mix” for their area. This will serve them well as they approach decisions dealing with acquisitions, developments and operating both areas and facilities. The decision-makers should now look toward the year 2000 A.D. They need to think through the implications of this “recreation yardstick” as it concerns the park and recreation policies.

Range of services provided should be based on the needs of the communities in the areas to be served. Legislation is needed to establish the necessary authority to meet the challenging changes growing populations, changing community patterns and critical environmental standards.

Policies provide guidelines for consistent decisions on direction and priorities. Policy-makers operate at all levels of government from federal and state legislators and administrators to local councils, commissioners and park and recreation department heads. Once the direction and priorities are set it is the function of the administrators and executives, at the various levels, to “make it happen.” This is done by setting up standards, practices and procedures for each of the local park operations. These operations may include a range of facilities from swimming pools, picnic areas, archery ranges, and systems for sanitation, solid waste management, risk management, and park security for both visitors and employees.

Accreditation provides a system by which separate organizations, institutions and agencies can be examined by a group of peers. The policies and practices of the organization can be measured against a set of standards established by knowledgeable people. Standards for desirable operational practices by park and recreation systems have been established through an accreditation program (see chapter 9).

Park and Recreation officials also should undertake a review of existing local and county ordinances and regulations and develop an up-to-date body of park rules.

62 Recreation in Michigan: Great Professional Opportunities

Categories of Park and Recreation Areas

While “traditional” categorization of local parks will vary, the National Recreation and Parks Association has developed a common terminology that is used by many communities. These terms for local/close to home space include: Mini Parks, Neighborhood parks/playground, Playflelds, Community local parks, Special feature parks, Riverbanks and flood plains. Definitions for service areas, desirable size, and typical features are given in Recreation, Park, and Open Space Standards and Guidelines published by the NRPA (1983).

The authority to acquire and develop land for park purposes usually originates in state enabling acts. In the Michigan Constitution of 1963, Article VII: Local Government, Sections: 1, 2, delegate authority to counties; Sec. 14, 17, to townships; Sec. 21, 22, to cities and villages; Sec. 23 specifies parks and facilities for cities; Sec. 34 same development for counties and townships (Twardzik and Fitch, 1990). This authority is delegated to local governments and allows, but does not require, them to implement it through local charters and ordinances. Lands may be acquired for park purposes through purchase, acceptance of gifts and bequests, and on occasion, through right of eminent domain (condemnation). Because land costs rise rapidly as areas are developed, planned acquisition is crucial. Acquisition of lands shall be for both current and projected needs of the community.

Organization of Agencies

No standardized “master cookie cutter” organization will guarantee success of a park and recreation agency. During recent history, however, certain patterns of organization have developed. In many of the older city and county departments the need was for access to safe, attractive public land: parks with mowed lawns, flowers, no dead trees, and lighting for nighttime.

City Parks

Many Michigan cities followed the lead of the great landscaped parks of the major cities of the East Coast such as Central Park in New York, Druid Hill in Baltimore, Rock Creek Park in Washington, and established authority in park departments.

In some older parts of Michigan the first public departments were established as “parks departments” and in the newer developed ones as “recreation departments.” Recognizing the administrative efficiencies and economies of combined operations almost all Michigan communities now provide “park and recreation” services. Another pattern that has worked well in many of the less populated parts of the state is that of the school district combined with a village or township in providing park and recreation services.

County Parks

In Michigan counties the first legislation gave authority to county commissioners to put the park operations in the capable hands of the County Road Commissions (P.A. 1913 No. 90 as amended: Parks, Zoological Gardens and Airports). These commissions employed professional civil engineers and had workers and equipment for basic land management. Some of the larger commissions, Wayne County and Kent County for two examples, soon developed park managers and departments. Changing demands for services and need for a broader based

Local Government Parks Services 63

representation from various areas (rural, suburban, metro and urban) resulted in alternate forms of enabling acts (ex. P.A. 1917 No. 156 Recreation and Playgrounds, and P.A. 1965 No. 261 County Parks) becoming available to the county governments (Twardzik and Fitch, 1990).

Huron-Clinton Metroparks

Other large parks were needed near the heavy population centers in southeast counties, but there was a problem. Buying land for large parks (1000 acres+) is expensive. It becomes even more expensive when large, high-density residential developments increase land values. One answer is to buy land farther out in the country where farmland is cheaper. By creating a multi-county “authority” you can form a tax base that includes both the people that need large parks and affordable land to develop the parks. Michigan had its answer.