Fun Things to do in Saginaw County Parks

We Need Your Input!

The Saginaw County Parks and Recreation Commission is seeking input from county residents regarding the future of parks and recreation in Saginaw County.

You are invited to share your input at the Saginaw County Governmental Center in Conference Room LL006 (lower level) located at 111 S. Michigan Ave in the City of Saginaw on Thursday, December 18, from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm.

Please stop by at your convenience to talk with recreation planners and review information about Saginaw County parks. It won’t take long, about ten minutes of your time. As a resident in the community, we want to hear your ideas and suggestions for recreation in Saginaw County.

If you aren’t able to attend, feel free to post a comment on this blog.

Information collected at this informal gathering will be reviewed and used in the Saginaw County Recreation Plan. This plan is a very important document, filed every five years with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and is the basis for all grant applications.

This flyer provides additional information about the December 18 community input opportunity:

• Date: Thursday, December 18
• Time: 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm
• Location: Conference Room LL006 (lower level) at the Saginaw County Governmental Center (111 S. Michigan Ave in Saginaw)

Taking the Polar Plunge at the William H. Haithco Recreation Area

Slideshow of Saginaw County Parks

This slideshow shows you the variety of fun things to do at Saginaw County parks!  Total 68 pictures.  (If you can’t see the embedded slideshow, then click here for the same one, but hosted on Flickr.)

Benefits of Parks and Recreation for Saginaw County

Over at the National Recreation and Park Association, they have a Top Ten list of park and recreation values. Those values are the reasons why parks are important in this country. They are listed here as important points to reflect on as the Saginaw County Recreation Plan is developed over the coming months.

The following summary is from the article, Top 10 Reasons Parks Are Important, by Richard J. Dolesh, Monica Hobbs Vinluan, and Michael Phillips:

1. Public parks provide millions of Americans with the opportunity to be physically active.
2. Parks have true economic benefits.
3. Parks provide vital green space in a fast-developing American landscape.
4. Parks preserve critical wildlife habitat.
5. Parks and recreation facilitate social interactions.
6. Leisure activities in parks improve moods, reduce stress and enhance a sense of wellness.
7. Recreational programs provide organized, structured, enjoyable activities.
8. Community recreation services provide a refuge of safety for at-risk youth.
9. Therapeutic recreation is an outlet that individuals with disabilities have.
10. Public parks embody the American tradition of preserving public lands.

More detail provided by the authors in the above link.

Children by pond at the William H. Haithco Recreation Area

The Start of a New Plan

Planning for recreation in Saginaw County began at the Thursday, December 4, 2008, Parks and Recreation Commission meeting, which started at 11:30 am in Conference Room LL006 of the Saginaw County Governmental Center located at 111 S. Michigan Ave in the City of Saginaw.

Click here for future meetings and additional information about the Saginaw County Parks and Recreation Commission.

Equestrian Trail along the Saginaw Valley Rail Trail