Parks Plans & Reports
Public Input
Ottawa county residents and park visitors helped build and guide this plan by completing surveys (raw data is available in plan appendices), comment cards, and by attending public meetings. A very high level of support for the activities of the Parks Commission was revealed.
Parks Plan Overview
- Continues emphasis on high quality maintenance and operations with projections of long-term capital renovation needs. Roughly half of discretionary (non-operating) funds area dedicated to renovations of current park facilities.
- Calls for further improvements at the Grand Ravines, Paw Paw Park, Ottawa Beach, and completion of the Grand River Greenway. It also anticipates modest growth in other land and facilities to accommodate the growing county population and to complete existing initiatives.
- Continues efforts to meet and exceed ADA accessibility guidelines at all lands and facilities.
- Provides flexibility to consider other unexpected opportunities and expand existing park properties.
- Continues focus on providing nature education programs throughout the park system.
- Expands emphasis on communications to residents of available opportunities for optimal park use.
Project Funding
The Parks Plan also includes detailed budget projections and a capital improvement plan. The plan notes that the millage combined with grant funds has allowed the Parks Commission to provide a large and high-quality park system to serve residents and visitors. With a higher percentage of millage funds devoted to operations and maintenance there will be a greater reliance on other funding for new and existing initiatives, including the Grand River Greenway. The newly formed Ottawa County Parks Foundation was created to secure more private funding.
