With a Parks & Recreation Master Plan in the works, township officials learned all about the department’s need when Leisure Vision presented their survey results at Township Hall on Sept. 28.
Over 600 surveys were completed, with Orion’s Parks & Rec. program scoring above Leisure Vision’s national benchmark in most categories, according to Ron Vine.
Vine presented the results to township trustees and Parks & Rec. committee members, along with a handful of residents in attendance.
Program director Rock Blanchard thanked Vine for his work on the project and said it opened his eyes to a number of important issues within the township.
Vine highlighted a number of findings, noting that usage of parks and participation in programs is high with high satisfaction.
He gave specific commendation to the township’s programs for children under the age of 10.
‘That is by far your strongest programming area,? Vine said.
The survey showed that there is a desire for a wide range of facilities in the near future, most notably walking and biking trails.
Vine said that interest was at the top of nearly every age category, with nature trails, playgrounds and outdoor/indoor swimming pools also generating some interest.
The Leisure Vision survey took into account not only what is needed in the township, but what the unmet needs are and how they are prioritized.
Taking high priority in what residents want as far as programming within the department were health and fitness opportunities.
Vine said the paths, pools, and wellness center were easily the biggest unmet needs identified in the survey.
The survey also helps to gauge what voters might support on a ballot proposal.
Vine said that over 70 percent of respondents would be willing to pay increased taxes toward improvements of their top priority in the Parks & Rec. Department.
But he encouraged the township officials on hand to focus almost exlusively on these couple of issues if they hope to accomplish anything at the polls in the upcoming years, especially in Orion Township, where such proposals often struggle.
‘You can say, ‘this is what you told us you wanted and what was most important to you,?? Vine said.
One of the residents on-hand, Garry Reynolds, Sr., said other communities have things in place already, offering the water park in Clarkston as one example.
‘We need to react quickly,? he told the officials.
The master plan, however, is still awaiting final approval
The township board will likely approve the Wade Trim firm to complete its Open Space Master Plan, but postponed action for the second straight meeting on Oct. 2, due to some legal work still needing to be resolved.
The issue will be placed on the Oct. 16 agenda.
‘We encourage the public to get involved with our master plan project,? Blanchard said, noting public hearing dates and things of that nature will be released soon after the formal approval of the plan is granted.