Plymouth Rethinks its Parks and Recs Plan
In Plymouth, citizens will have the opportunity to vote on a new, more budget-friendly parks and recreation proposal at the upcoming November 5th ballot. This new proposal comes after the previous, more expensive plan, was rejected in 2023 by a close margin.
The new proposal aims to generate funds for the improvement of the city parks, however at a lesser cost to taxpayers compared to the previous endeavor. The eight-year plan includes a 1.2 mill increase which is estimated to generate around $834,000 in the first year and a total of about $7.2 million over the millage’s lifetime. This signifies an annual increase of around $180 for homeowners with properties valued at $300,000.
When compared to the previous plan, which narrowly lost in 2023 with 1,368 votes against and 1,302 votes in favor, this new approach reflects the community’s feedback and concerns. The authorities have taken main feedback into account while formulating this slimmed-down version.
The former Lumber Mart site at 639 S. Mill St., where the city authorities planned to develop a new park complete with a sports field, is not part of this new proposal. Instead, the plan is centered around four key priorities:
- Supervising the deferred maintenance and replacement of equipment at neighborhood parks
- Preparing a multi-purpose artificial turf field through a partnership with the property owner
- Reviving Point Park off Starkweather Road, making it a prime entrance to the city
- Planning future renovations and upkeep at the Plymouth Cultural Center, which includes changing all windows and swapping the Zamboni with a modern, fully electric ice-maintenance vehicle
The city authorities affirmed the importance and uniqueness of their local parks. Saying that, “Not very many communities have these little pocket parks within your neighborhood; they’re the beauty of the city and what makes Plymouth, Plymouth.” They also stated that the new proposal provides an excellent opportunity to care for the city parks.
Furthermore, the city plans to collaborate with individual neighborhoods to gauge the specific needs of each park. The funds generated through this plan will also be used as seed money to initiate bigger projects and qualify for matching funds grants. The overall spending plan, though, depends on the availability of such grants.
The city authorities are in the process of creating a website to keep citizens informed about the parks millage. They also plan to hold several community forum meetings before the election to ensure that residents remain updated on the progress.
