What the public puts in they will certainly get out

Not exactly a SPORTS piece, but recreation is close. Just a quick editorial that ran in the HDN on July 24, urging the public to do something themselves if they want improved facilities and opportunities.

The five-year joint recreation plan the city of Hillsdale and Hillsdale Township are embarking on together is more than just a chance to take inventory of what we have and what the future holds in terms of parks and recreation.

It is an opportunity to work together as a community for the common good and make a lasting impact on the appearance and value of our area.

We all know that local budgets are as tight as Saran wrap and massive overhauls are but a laughable proposition, but that doesn’t mean we can’t continue to have a voice, be positive during a time of too many negatives, and try to do something other than play the blame game.

Some of the local parks are beginning to look like antique yards, many people complain there’s not enough variety in the recreation offerings around here and we get asked questions about sports complexes and the possibility of a skate park all the time.

Our response to that banter?

Call the city or township, fill out the public surveys they are handing out in regards to the joint recreation plan and show up when they host a public forum.

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Parks and wrecks

Another front-pager tackling some issues in the realm of parks and recreation. Doing backflips off a swing-set is a sport, right?

[caption id="attachment_818" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="Rusted out chain-link swings at Kekoose Park in Hillsdale."][/caption]



The city of Hillsdale and Hillsdale Township are currently collaborating on a  five-year  joint recreation plan that they hope to have completed by the end of the year.

The plan will create eligibility for funding for future development of parks and recreational facilities within the community and set short-term and long-term goals for renovations and upgrades.

City manager Mike Mitchell said the plan is essential to making residents feel like there is plenty to enjoy right in their own backyard.

“Recreation is a major tool to use to retain people to the area, as well as draw people to the area. A lot of times it’s jobs or schools that determine where someone lives, but people also want to know what it’s like to live there,” he said. “The purpose is to not only get an inventory, but to also see what opportunities we can build for the future to offer a variety of recreational options.”

Mitchell said the planning process started almost three months ago, when the city approached Cambria and Hillsdale townships about joining forces on the project.
Cambria declined the offer, but Hillsdale  accepted the partnership and Mitchell said he is pleased to have them on board.

“We’ve talked a lot about how you do you define Hillsdale. Is it the city boundaries, the school district, or by address?” he said. “You always hear people just saying ‘well I’m from Hillsdale’ and we thought this would be a great opportunity to work with the township and utilize their proximity and some of their resources.”

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