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Community DescriptionThe City of Saginaw is the most populated jurisdiction in Saginaw County. It is also the most developed and the community providing the most diverse range of recreation opportunities in the County. Though still a dense urban environment, the City of Saginaw has changed substantially during the past 10 years in terms of population, housing and open space, parks and recreation.Figure 1 Saginaw County. The City of Saginaw is noted in bright yellow.Administrative StructureThis section describes the existing organizational structure for the provision of recreation facilities and services in the City of Saginaw. Changes in the current administrative structure, which have been proposed or which might be desirable in the future, will also be discussed as part of the parks and recreation planning process.Policy and Decision-Making Functions The City of Saginaw operates under a Council-Manager plan of government. The City Council consists of nine members elected at large for overlapping four-year terms. The Council is responsible for setting all municipal policies not otherwise designated by City Charter or state law.The City Manager is appointed by and is directly responsible to the City Council. As the administrative head of the City, the Manager carries out the policies that are made by the Council, and directs and coordinates the work of all City departments. The Manager also prepares the annual budget for the Council's consideration and sees that the adopted budget's provisions are carried out. Under this system of government, the ultimate responsibility for setting policy and making decisions concerning municipal parks and recreation rests solely with the City Council. The Council’s authority over parks and recreation matters includes budgeting, land acquisition and development, ordinances, rules, and other related matters. The Council must also approve any formal agreements with other recreation agencies such as the Saginaw Board of Education or the Saginaw County Parks and Recreation Commission.In general, the Saginaw City Council makes decisions on parks and recreation issues under three main sets of circumstances: During preparation of the City's annual budgetWhen the City Manager brings a particular recreation issue before the Council for special consideration. When a recreation issue is identified by a Council member, a citizen, or an interest group. Saginaw's system of government typically requires the City Manager to provide considerable leadership in identifying and resolving major policy issues. Staffing for the parks and recreation related functions within the City’s departments are also a Charter responsibility of the Manager. The Manager generally delegates the administrative responsibilities for recreation operations and maintenance to staff. Under the present organizational structure, there is no formal Parks and Recreation Commission or similar entity charged with recreation functions. However, other City commissions are directly and indirectly involved in recreation-related matters. The Saginaw Riverfront Development Commission advises City Council on Riverfront Development and the Implementation of the River Corridor Master Plan. These commissions serve in an advisory role to the City Council. Administration, Operation, and Maintenance The City of Saginaw divides the day-to-day administration, operation, and maintenance of its recreation facilities and services into two separate areas within the Public Services: Grounds and Facilities Maintenance. Public WorksThis department provides a variety of services related to the management, maintenance, and improvement of public facilities. The Department of Public Services operates under the general direction of the City Manager. Current services that the Parks Department performs are described below:Facilities Administration functions include the following major areas: Coordinating programs, services, and management systems.Arrange for and manage contractual services.Provide services and supplies required for daily operation of City departments.Direct the activities of a work force dedicated to providing maintenance and repair services for public buildings and the community park system.Manage operational, security, and enforcement activities.Capital Improvements such as the planning, scheduling and implementation of projects building facilities and parkland and the preparation and administration of grantsParks Building Maintenance This program provides the labor and material resources necessary to maintain buildings and other facilities included in the City parks system. The scope of these responsibilities encompasses approximately 55 individual areas, which comprise more than 615 acres of developed community parkland. This area also provides building maintenance support for all programs and activities utilizing City Park and recreation facilities. Green Point Nature Center In 1993, the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service and Shiawassee National Refuge negotiated a lease with the City for the use of the Green Point Interpretative Center and 76 acre site for the purpose of conducting environmental education programs. This arrangement represents a restoration of service for the community since the City discontinued this program in 1988. The Fish and Wildlife Service employs a naturalist to manage the facility along with a variety of exhibits, programs, and activities. This program is funded entirely by the Fish and Wildlife Service with maintenance services furnished by the City.Parks Grounds Maintenance This program provides the labor and material resources needed to maintain the grounds of the citywide parks system. Resources in this program are responsible for the maintenance of over 615 acres of developed park facilities, including: the Central Parks System, riverfront park areas, district and neighborhood parks, downtown urban parks, park drives, walks, and parking lots.Recreation Grant HistoryThe City of Saginaw has received several grants from DNR-administered grantprograms, based on information provided in September of 2009 on the DNR’s MichiganNatural Resources Trust Fund website. They include:TF00-106 Westside Riverfront Park $256,153 Development TF410 Green Point Nature Center $19,800 AcquisitionTF90-343 Ojibway Island Renovation $165,000 TF91-222 Rust Ave. Boat Launch $375,000 Development TF07-072 Andersen Park $51,800 Development TF08-039 Anderson Water Park $480,000 DevelopmentProgrammingThe City of Saginaw has been forced to reduce programming to its residents. The City provides recreation programming through a number of different agencies and organizations, some of the services provided are done so through contractual relationships with the City of Saginaw. The First Ward Community Center provides year round recreation programs for youth as an independent contractor with the City of Saginaw. The contractual agreement provides for the First Ward Community Center to provide programming at the Civitan Recreation Center and at the Cathedral District Youth Center. The activities at the Civitan Recreation Center are geared toward youth in grade 9 through 12. Funding for the utilities at the Civitan Recreation Center were provided through grants/donations from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) and the Dow Chemical Company. In addition to the year round programming at the Civitan, the First Ward Community Center services include providing a ten week summer day camp at the Cathedral District youth Center located at the Warren Avenue Presbyterian Church. This day camp program is for grades kindergarten through eight.Relationships with Other Agencies Involved in Recreation and VolunteersThe City of Saginaw has creatively worked with a number of different groups and agencies in order to ensure maintenance and improvement of parks facilities with dwindling dedicated resources. There are four such agreements:The Andersen Enrichment Center and the Saginaw Arts & Enrichment CommissionThe Friends of Hoyt ParkGarber Tennis Courts and the Urban Youth Tennis FoundationThe Japanese Cultural Center, a Tea House and Gardens and the Tea House BoardThe Andersen Enrichment Center is located within the city's central parks system. The indoor meeting and gathering facility and adjacent Lucille E. Andersen Memorial Garden hosts a number of different events throughout the year, both indoors and outdoors and is available for private rental. The Friends of Hoyt Park work in concert with the Saginaw YMCA to maintain Hoyt Park for spring and summer baseball and softball programs or other sport programs as mutually agreed. The Friends group provides maintenance and programming. The Urban Youth Tennis Foundation maintains the Garber Tennis Courts for the purposes of tennis education, competitions and other programs. The foundation is solely responsible for maintenance and repairs to the tennis courts. The Japanese Tea House and Gardens is actually funded and maintained by the City of Tokushima, Japan. The Tea House Board is responsible for its operation, management, and maintenance.There are a variety of recreational programs available to Saginaw residents. A list of programs available is included on the following page.Recreation InventoryAn inventory of existing recreation within the City of Saginaw was performed to determine the existing level of recreational facilities and to compare the existing facilities with nationally accepted standards of recreation. Regional recreation, including county facilities, is also discussed in this plan.Classification System and Standards A recreation inventory is the foundation for developing an action program. A comparison of the existing parks and facilities to accepted national standards provides a good indication of additional recreational resources to meet the needs of the City’s residents. The following classification system is adapted from the National Recreation and Parks Association guide. It recognizes types of parks based on size, service area, facilities, and use groups. Furthermore, it lists definitions and sets of standards for the various park levels established for use in this plan. These standards are based on nationally accepted criteria.Local/Close to Home SpaceNeighborhood Parks (NP) – These parks are normally suited for intense development. That is, they are designed for more intense recreational activities such as field games, court games, crafts, playground equipment, skating, picnicking, wading pool, etc. Neighborhood parks are easily accessible to neighborhood populations and geographically centered within safe walking distances and bike access. The desirable size for a neighborhood park is 15 acres or larger, serving a population up to 5000. The standard acreage for neighborhood parks is 1.0 to 2.0 acres per 1000 munity Parks (CP) – These parks are intended to serve a broader need with a service radius of 2 miles or more. These parks are areas of diverse environmental quality, which vary in use. Community parks may include areas suited for intense recreational facilities such as athletic complexes or large swimming pools, or may be an area of high natural quality with little development for outdoor recreation such as walking, viewing, boating, or picnicking. There may be a combination of the listed uses depending upon site suitability and community needs. These parks may also include natural features such as bodies of water, wooded land, or hills. They should also be easily accessible to the neighborhoods served. Typical community parks are 25 acres or greater in size. The standard acreage for community parks is 5.0 to 8.0 acres per 1000 population.Regional SpaceRegional Parks (RP) – Parks in this classification can serve the entire county as well as areas outside the county that are within one-hour drive time. They are particularly suited for nature-oriented outdoor recreation such as viewing or studying nature, picnicking, fishing, wildlife habitat conservation, camping, and trail uses. Typically, these parks are 200 acres or greater and may encompass large land areas to be preserved for natural character. Regional parks may have diverse or unique natural resources such as lakes, streams, marshes, flora, fauna, or topography. The standard acreage for regional parks is variable but generally accepted as 5.0 to 10.0 acres per 1000 population.The City of Saginaw’s Central Park System, which includes Ojibway Island, Anderson Water Park and numerous other facilities, are all considered regional parks. Also included in this classification are Green Point Nature Center and Morley Park. Morley Park does not meet the typical standards for a regional park, however its intense use and location justify it being placed in this category. These parks and facilities are intended, designed and function in such a way to serve the City and the greater area. Regional parks in the City of Saginaw are:Anderson Celebration ParkHoyt ParkChildren’s Zoo at Celebration SquareJapanese Tea House and GardensLake LintonLake Linton ReservoirOjibway IslandWebber ParkRiverwalk (includes Pothoff Park)Ezra Rust ParkWickes Park, Wickes Park ExtensionMorley PlazaGreen Point Nature CenterAnderson Enrichment CenterThere are several community parks within the City. These parks include Bliss Park, Unity Park, Deindorfer Woods, and others. Community parks are designed to meet specialized recreation needs, such as tennis courts, or a mixture of recreational activities. Typically, community parks are most highly used when located in such a way as to provide recreational opportunities for a one to two mile radius. Many of the community parks in the City should be evaluated in terms of use, not so much because their location is inappropriate but because recreational needs and trends have changed in the past ten to 20 years. Community Parks within the City of Saginaw are:Crayola Park/Harvey Randall Wickes ParkGarber Tennis CourtsBliss ParkFordney ParkDeindorfer WoodsLinton ParkUnity ParkVeteran’s Memorial ParkThe majority of the City’s parks are classified as neighborhood parks. For the purposes of this recreation plan, school park and playground facilities are considered neighborhood parks. Neighborhood parks are smaller and sense and tend to serve a more immediate area. The Neighborhood Parks within the City of Saginaw are:Germaine ParkJeffers ParkMerrill ParkOtto Roeser ParkSchroederSt. Vincent’sPark PlaceWeadock ParkDr. Archer Claytor ParkAlthough not under the control of the City of Saginaw, school facilities function as neighborhood parks in many areas. These facilities include: Arthur EddyCoulterHerigHoughtonJesse LoomisJesse RouseKemptonNelle HaleySalinaLongstreetMorleyStoneWebberOther recreation facilities within the city include the Civitan and Merril recreation centers, and the Rust Avenue and Wickes Park boat launches. Barrier Free ComplianceEnsuring all residents reasonable access to parks and recreation facilities improves quality of life for Saginaw area residents and also ensures compliance with the American Disabilities Act. In order to ensure that there are opportunities available to all residents, this recreation plan reviews the parks and inventories where barrier-free compliance is lacking. The City then takes the necessary action in order to ensure compliance with state and federal barrier-free laws. Specifically, the following items were inventoried and reviewed:ParkingPaths To and From Parking: Location of parking areas in relation to activity areas to ensure that walking distance is minimized.Activity AreasPaths To and From Activity Areas: Existence, location, and condition of sidewalks.Restrooms: Existence, location, and compliance with American Disability Standards.Amenities: Conditions of equipment such as play equipment, drinking fountains, and picnic tables that are barrier-free and usable by all people.Surfacing: Condition of paving material used for parking as it assists in allowing movement within.SignageThe following chart inventories the parks based on barrier-free compliance standards. The parks are assessed and categorized as follows:Deficient: Does not meet barrier-free complianceCompliant: Does meet barrier-free complianceN/A: The item does not exist within the park and therefore cannot be evaluatedFor items which are not in compliance, the City has included appropriate goals and action items within this document in order to make improvements and timely upgrades. Barrier free inventoryDescription of the Planning and Public Input ProcessThe City of Saginaw hosted a four hour open house on Thursday, January 20, 2011 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.. The workshop offered residents and stakeholders the opportunity to review the existing plan, speak with City staff and review the City’s existing park system. During the public workshop, City staff and the public worked together to identify a number of desired improvements. The conversations are summarized below:Better connect the area known as Celebration SquarePhysically and visually connect Celebration Square to the west side of the Saginaw RiverContinue efforts to coordinate improvements with other agencies, groups and partnersLook to opportunities to partner with other municipalities including the County, in terms of parks and recreationBuild on the strength of the City’s assets including the river and the old growth trees at Wickes, Hoyt Parks and Ojibway IslandExpand pedestrian access on the City’s bridgesBuild upon success at Andersen Celebration ParkImprove amenities at Anderson Celebration Park including site furniture, restroomsWickes Park’s road surface needs to be addressedInvestigate ways to connect to Green Point and promote it as a destinationSome parks are used infrequentlyConcern regarding cost of maintenance in parksDesire for winter activities like ice skating and sleddingEncourage neighborhood associations to take an active ownership in local parksInvestigate low cost, low maintenance activities like Frisbee GolfOverall, the public comment received acknowledged that the City has limited resources to make substantial new improvements. It was generally acknowledged that the Celebration Square area was one of the highly visited park destinations and served as a focal point for City. Neighborhood parks and pocket parks throughout the City were discussed, as was the changing demographics and neighborhoods. In some cases it was acknowledged that some parks no longer have a neighborhood to support them. In other situations active neighborhood associations have been incredibly successful in protecting, preserving and improving the functionality and usefulness of the park, such as Otto Rousseur Park.Other Public Comment and PlansThe City of Saginaw Comprehensive Plan/Master Plan is currently under development. The plan is not yet finalized however several key points have been shared with the public. Of the concerns expressed during the planning process, the concept of “right sizing” the city’s infrastructure and associated costs have been discussed. Additional items, relative to parks, recreation and open space include:Connection to Green Pointe CenterGeneralized acceptance of the northeast area of the city as a tentative “green space” area of land to be assembled for some as yet to be determined future useThe connection of the greater City to the riverfrontThe recognition of the importance of parks, recreation and open space opportunities to attracting residents and businesses to the CityThe acknowledgement that parks facilities need to be designed so that they can be maintained long term and adequately funded into the futureAs the master planning process comes to completion during the course of the next several months, the City should work in concert with the Planning Commission and City Council to make revisions to this plan as necessary to incorporate and reflect the potentially changing land use and needs of the community.Operation RecreationIn late 2007, a consortium of social service, public and quasi public organizations assembled to produce a document and create proposed solutions for recreation and services in the Saginaw Area. The plan was titled “Operation Recreation.” Though too dated to use as a documented source for public input, the plan has provided valuable insight in terms of the way in which the City has had to drastically reduce its services during the past several years. Operation Recreation found that Saginaw’s dwindling recreation resources have been similar to many other urban centers. The loss of traditional industry during the 1980s and 1990s, coupled with property-tax limitations and declining population, pushed the city of Saginaw to a budget crisis in the late 1990s. Funding for parks and recreation in Saginaw has seen a decline from almost $1 million annually in the late 1990s. The complete elimination of recreation funding from the city budget came in fiscal year 2004-05, capping a rapid three-year decline. The first discussions regarding outsourcing recreational programming began in spring of 2001. Between 2001 to 2004, Saginaw sought to continue providing recreation for the city’s youth through a contractual partnership with the Saginaw YMCA, which began in August 2001 when the city entered into a 10-month contract with the YMCA for $633,350. By May 2002, there was discussion of cutting the subsidy to the YMCA but no action was taken. In October 2002, the City Council approved a resolution to eliminate the $500,000 subsidy to the Saginaw YMCA if the pending vote on lifting the property tax cap failed. Although the vote to lift the property tax cap failed, no action was taken to eliminate the YMCA subsidy. Operation Recreation was formed from a response to these and other proposed recreation programming reductions.In January 2003 the Council voted to reduce the subsidy to the Saginaw YMCA by $125,000. In August 2003, the City Council approved a change in the contract with the Saginaw YMCA to an annual subsidy of $100,000, with $50,000 of additional funding anticipated from a foundation gift. The amended contract resulted in a reduction of programs and services to city residents, as well as closure of Andersen Water Park. Finally, in October 2004, the YMCA indicated that, in light of the city’s inability to fund recreation, the organization could no longer be active in the partnership. In October 2004 a recreation committee, which would act as an advisory committee to the City Council in matters of public recreation, was formed in December 2004. The group, at one time called the Citizens Recreation Committee, would later become known as the Reinvest in Recreation Committee. In May 2005, city voters voted down two tax proposals. This was an especially bad day for youth development and recreation, as City Council soon after announced that it had no choice but to eliminate all funding for summer youth recreation programming. In some ways, this final act of budget-cutting came as no surprise. In July 2005, City Council agreed to lease the Civitan Recreation Center, one of two city-owned recreation centers, to a faith-based organization because lack of funding prevented the city from operating the center. While the city could no longer provide recreation services at the center, the decision to allow The Faith Life Center to use the facility has kept some low- and no-cost opportunities available to Saginaw youth. In June 2006, City Council approved a budget of $10,000 for recreation programming. Since that time the City has worked with other agencies and organizations to provide recreation programming. Plan Review and Public HearingThe advertised public hearing for the City’s recreation plan took place at the annual Student Government Day of City Council. More than 25 high school students were in attendance. The proposed plan was presented by staff during the public hearing. No comments or questions were received.Goals and ObjectivesThe City of Saginaw has experienced dramatic and substantial changes in population, housing, resources and finances during the past 10 years. Candidly, some of the City’s neighborhood parks are located in areas of the City which are more than 30 percent vacant. As a whole in the City of Saginaw, the housing vacancy rate is at 20.2%. ?200920001990Population55,23861,79969,512Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2009 Population Estimates, Census 2000, 1990 CensusThe long term impact of a decreasing population is an important consideration in recreation planning. In the particular situation of the City of Saginaw, its peak population was upwards of 90,000 residents. The City is built, not just in terms of roads and sewer, for 90,000 residents, but potentially in terms of parks as well. In addition to the potential that some neighborhood or community parks may be located in areas that are actually not serving the neighborhood base they were designed to serve, the City’s shrinking financial resources have made what were once routine maintenance items difficult.Even with these substantial challenges and pending shifts in density and neighborhoods, the City has found great success in repurposing the Andersen Water Park and in other, though smaller, collaborations.The City of Saginaw was funded for the development of an outdoor water park in the 1980s. The total cost for the original facility was approximately $2.6 million, including $640,000 from the State of Michigan through a Land and Water Conservation Grant. The park was subsidized annually between $150,000 and $175,000. The facility was closed in 2002. In 2004, the city and private partners and stakeholders began meeting to discuss the use of the facility. One of the initial possibilities discussed was a conceptual plan for a skate park, originally produced in 2000. The City was able to work in cooperation with the DNR to repurpose the facility. Through corporate donations and gifts, along with two sizeable grants from the State’s Department of Natural Resources and Environment, the City was able to demolish the former facilities, create a spray park, a skate park, a community policing center, bocce courts, a walking path and park furniture and furnishings. A number of the other collaborations have been previously discussed, including the Friends of Hoyt Park. Goals These items represent a full range of recommended improvements for Saginaw’s Parks and Recreation system. The preceding portions of this plan included an inventory and analysis of existing recreation facilities and opportunities, identified community recreation issues, and established goals for the Parks and Recreation system. This section synthesizes that information and proposes a parks and recreation plan to meet Saginaw’s needs and goals.In general, this Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Plan update emphasizes the need to plan and consider improvements and maintenance in conjunction with the City’s Comprehensive Development Plan/Master Plan, and the City Planning continued improvement of the City’s existing facilities, highlighting more community involvement and expanding partnerships and greater refinement of the community’s park system over the next five years.Plan with the Neighborhoods The City of Saginaw has an opportunity to reevaluate its existing park system, neighborhood by neighborhood as it continues to work with the Planning Commission and City Council to update the Comprehensive Development Plan/Master Plan. While public participation has assisted in setting goals for regional recreation and the regional parks, many of the community parks as defined within this plan do not have specific goals and/or improvements attributed. The intent is to work with the Planning Commission as they move their land use document forward. Planning with the neighborhoods will allow the City to incorporate the strategies and plans of the local neighborhood associations and other agencies into the parks improvement strategy.Work Cooperatively to Make Improvements With budget shortfalls, the City is seeking creative ways to improve recreational facilities and recreation programming. There are examples of these successful partnerships already occurring in the City, such as Otto Roeser Park and Hoyt Park. Further, the City should partner with a variety of organizations to investigate different strategies for funding, including grants, user fees, volunteer contributions, private organizations, etc. Though the City may not be able to contribute financially to park improvements, the City has the opportunity to provide encourage and leadership support for community groups who want to seek grant monies for their local park. The age of the city’s population and the age of the park system itself requires care and attention to items that ensure the usefulness of the park for all residents. This includes a specific and special focus on accessibility, especially with the parks that have some deficient elements. These facility improvements should be carefully coordinated with other construction projects and/or other related parks improvements.Continue to Improve the City’s Riverfront Building on recent efforts, the City and the City’s Riverfront Development Commission should continue to implement the City’s adopted River Corridor Master Plan. The riverfront area should become a destination and gathering place for both local and regional residents. Along the City’s riverfront corridor there is ample opportunity to continue and expand upon existing trail way efforts, and to provide connections to points of interest within the City and potential connections to neighboring communities as well.Goal A: Work with neighborhoods to identify underused park property and investigate alternative ways of managing the property or for disposing of the property. This goal calls for the change of use at existing underused parks in certain areas of the City. This goal will require close and ongoing coordination with City staff, the Planning Commission and the City Council. Heavy emphasis should be on programs such as Adopt-A-Park, to help with the maintenance of underused parks. The potential sale of park property or should happen only after extensive conversations with the local neighborhoods and the inability to find alternate means of maintaining and improving the park land. Any proposed sale would potentially help fund other, perhaps more appropriate recreation opportunities in the areaObjectives:1. Help foster an Adopt-A-Park program as the resources become available. Depending on the current and future availability of funds, (for organizing, calling attention to neighborhood groups, the faith based community, the need for help maintaining park properties) each site needs to be fully evaluated and the current situation with old, unused parks should be looked at individually. 2. Determine what parks need to be renovated and prioritize the need. Staff need to site visit each location and determine from what they observe, which parks are in need of the most help. Set criteria should be established so determining factors are agreed upon by the staff. A neighborhood survey could also be distributed to areas immediately surrounding these parks. 3. Work with the City Planning Commission, the City Council and City Staff to determine the best use of limited funds in terms of improvements and use of neighborhood park facilities. Goal B: Seek ways of improving the safety of City Parks. The parks have to be safe in order for them to be used. The perception of crime is just as substantial a challenge as crime. In order to be used and active, parks need to appear safe, well lit and well maintained. Proposed Steps for Implementation:1. Certain areas of parks need lighting for safety and aesthetic reasons. Lighting in Wickes Park, Ojibway Island, and Along the Riverfront parks is needed. 2. Work with public safety to incorporate elements of Crime Prevention through Environmental Design into new parks, new park features and renovations. Specifically seek CPTED guidelines for lighting areas known to have existing concerns. Goal C: Continue to improve the Central Parks and Riverfront Parks for maximum use and enjoyment. The City’s Riverfront Commission has, during the past decade or, pursued implementation of a detailed plan for improvements, recreation, and open space and entertainment along the Saginaw River. The Riverfront Commission, in pursuit of their goals of improving the waterfront areas, have acknowledged that much of the existing land in the river corridor is already parkland and it will be in perpetuity. The plan recommends provisions be made for non-motorized transportation possibly linking bikeways and the existing Riverwalk. Proposed Steps for Implementation:1. Build on the momentum related to the Anderson Celebration Park. Look to provide additional amenities that have been identified as desirable by park users and the public, including an additional pavilion, additional seating, and additional restrooms near the skate park. 2. Try to link regional trails with the already established walking trails within the Central Parks. 3. Investigate sites for outdoor ice-skating. Hoyt Park historically hosted this outdoor recreation, however this site also hosts softball and touch football. 4. Further improvements to Andersen Celebration Park should be sought, and would help with marketing the facility as a regional recreational opportunity. This would entail the development of additional outdoor features and play elements.5. Continue to support the improvements to the Garber Tennis Courts for continued use from the public, school groups, and tournaments. D. Continue to develop the Riverfront for public use and enjoyment on both sides of the Saginaw River. The riverfront has been recognized as the focal point of the community. Continuing efforts to enhance public recreational uses of the riverfront and the river itself also help foster a more positive image of Saginaw as well as furthering economic growth and redevelopment efforts.Proposed Steps for Implementation:1. Continue to improve the existing Riverfront Parks (Wickes, Crayola, etc.) and the Riverwalk for public access, parking, picnicking, and related activities.2. Evaluate options for acquisition and development of riverfront property on the west side of the river, specifically the area directly across from Ojibway Island. 3. Continue ways to provide access to the river. Renovations to the Wickes Park Boat Launch should be explored. Saginaw County has 18,000 registered watercraft. 4. Continue to implement active recreation activities that take advantage of the scenery around the Saginaw River, including items such as sand volleyball courts and walking or running trails .5. Target improvements along Wickes Park in the area of the proposed new housing development. Age appropriate playground equipment, along with lighting E. Continue to renovate and redevelop the Community/District parks to maximize public benefits. This updated plan recommends that the City continue its program of renovating and improving the Community/District Parks and related facilities. Projects aimed at specific facilities are listed below. Proposed Steps for Implementation:1. Continue to work with Neighborhood groups that have taken an active role in improving the parks in their area. The Heritage Square Neighborhood Association, the Friends of Hoyt Park, the Urban Youth Tennis League and others. All of these groups have their own plan for improvements and those documents are an official amendment to this plan. Identify new associations, agencies and groups with which to partner.2. Continue to make capital improvements such as roads and lighting where appropriate and when financially feasible, placing an emphasis on improvements that ensure accessibility.3. Investigate the possibility of high use, but low cost improvements and activities at Deindorfer Woods, including Frisbee Golf. F. Investigate and pursue alternative mechanisms for operation, maintenance, and funding for parks and recreation.It has been a repeated message in this plan that the most pressing problem facing parks and recreation (as well as other facets of City government) is the current and projected budget deficit. Under present conditions, the City will need to investigate ways to increase revenues, or even eliminate some services. In light of the present situation, it is imperative that the City seeks alternative means for operation, maintenance, and financing its parks and recreation system. Several alternatives are suggested below:Proposed Steps for Implementation:1. Actively pursue the formation of additional community partnerships to help achieve desired levels of service at recreation facilities. This concept includes activities such as an “Adopt-A-Park” program in which organizations and individuals contribute labor and funds for development, operation, and maintenance of facilities.2. The City has developed several successful partnerships for the development, operation, and maintenance of recreation facilities. These include:To continue the partnership with the Saginaw Board of Education to improve Neighborhood/School Park sites over the next few years.To continue partnerships with the state (MIDNR) and federal (Fish and Wildlife Service) governments for the continued operation of the Green Point Nature Center.3. Work with neighboring local units of government and Saginaw County to potentially share services, resources and programming whenever available and mutually beneficial. The sharing of services and resources across municipal governments can often reduce costs for all parties involved.G. Work to link regional trails to abandoned railroad right-a-ways and/or the Central Parks and the river walk corridor. Nonmotorized trails and pathways can provide universal access as well as alternative forms of transportation. Proposed Steps for Implementation:1. Have City staff actively involved with the Saginaw Bay Greenways Collaborative, and other groups working towards providing passive recreation in the City of Saginaw.2. Promote the idea of linking trails with the surrounding communities.Action ProgramThe Action Program identifies goals and specific tasks the City has highlighted to undertake over the course of the next five years. Potential projects are detailed in the chart below. Each specific action item relates to one of the goals from the “Goals and Objectives” section.The potential capital improvements that are described below are intended to provide a working list for City leaders. The project list will likely change in terms of the list and in terms of the priority of an item on the list in any given year. The list itself is designed to be flexible. Changes in funding and in local groups and organizations willing to help fund improvements will also impact the action program.City of Saginaw Action ProgramAction ItemRelates to GoalJustificationSeek additional identified improvements to Andersen Celebration ParkC, D, E?Public Input, City StaffSeek residential/neighborhood park improvements in Wickes Park, adjacent to residential?A, BCity StaffEvaluate landscape of parks to enhance functionality and appealA, B?City StaffCreate more natural areas in parks to reduce maintenanceA, B, FCity StaffWork with the Planning Commission to identify parks in transitioning areasA, FCity StaffActively seek new partnerships and relationships with neighboring groups, agencies and governments to reduce maintenance and retain high quality park facilitiesA, F?Public Input, City StaffIdentify needed lighting and other safety or perception related improvementsA, B, F?Public Input, City StaffPursue acquisition and development of a continued riverwalk, connecting Genesee Street to the existing parkland on the West Side of the river.E, G?Public Input, City StaffAppendix –Frank N. Andersen Celebration Park Site MapWickes Park, Proposed Location for Neighborhood Park Improvements ................
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