More recreation, including a brand-new park, is on the way for Monroe Charter Township.
The Evergreen Acres subdivision, off Dunbar Road, will get a new park. The park in the Ravenwood subdivision, off South Dixie Highway, will be extensively renovated, and the township also is finishing up a project involving a tennis court, pickleball courts and cornhole board. The township also may add more pedestrian trails.
“We want to improve the amenities and provide our residents more access to recreation and greenspaces. It will make our township, not just attractive, but (will help) future growth and draw young families,” said John Manor, Monroe Charter Township supervisor.
New and renovated parks
“One entirely new park will be in Evergreen Acres,” Manor said. “The township owns property in Evergreen Acres where a previous park once stood at the corner of Plum Creek Road and Eastwood Street. We are utilizing that space to revitalize that community and make it more attractive to new families looking to purchase their first home.”
Manor said the existing Kay Park in Ravenwood will be completely renovated. Jason Moody, a member of the Ravenwood Park board, thinks the park may have been built in the 1970s.
“This is slated to be done next year. Installation is to be determined, but expected to start in the spring,” Manor said. “We are currently clearing the overgrown vegetation and any debris from the site. Due to the nature of its location in a flood plain, we will have to determine a start date working with the Monroe County Drain Commission and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy.”
The cost for the two parks will be determined soon.
“We do not have final cost until we get all agency approvals,” Manor said. “(Funding) will come out of our Parks and Recreation budget. We’re in the budget process right now for 2026, so we could allocate that funding for next year. We are also applying for federal, state and local grants to cover costs on these projects.”
Christina Smith, Monroe Charter Township clerk, said the township board is in the process of approving both park projects as part of its five-year Parks and Recreation plan.
“With the recent additions to our township park behind our office, we wanted to make similar investments in our neighborhood township parks as well,” Smith said. “It was important for us to provide our residents with meaningful recreation right in their own backyards.”
Pickleball, tennis, cornhole project
In late August, Monroe Township began work on four pickleball courts, a tennis court and a set of concrete cornhole board in the park behind the township office, 4925 E. Dunbar Road. Work is in the final stages.
“It went pretty quickly,” Manor said. “It is anticipated to be completed within the next month so residents can play this season. The asphalt for the courts has already been laid and, once it cures, the fencing and nets will be installed. They will spray temporary striping, but in the spring, the contractor will return and install a special ‘court coating’ that will finish the project. It is a nice extra bonus. It seals it and adds to the longevity.”
“Many of our residents are eagerly awaiting the completion of this project,” Smith said.
Manor said the pickleball/tennis/cornhole project cost approximately $246,000. Smith said the majority of those funds came from the ARPA money the federal government supplied during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We used these funds to make much-needed repairs to our township properties, fire stations and infrastructure,” Smith said. “The board wanted to make sure that we held the residents harmless when it came to cost and made sure that the projects did not have costly annual maintenance. We really are trying to make sure that the tax dollars we spend are scrutinized and all expenses vetted to ensure that we are getting the most we can when it comes to these projects. Both our supervisor and our development director are grant writers and always looking for additional funds to support our efforts. That will come in handy for our future parks and recreation projects.”
“This is just the beginning of a much more comprehensive effort to provide recreational activities that our residents have been asking for,” Smith added.
Pedestrian and bike trails
“In the spring, the township will be finishing the Stoneco Nature Trail project, which extended our nature trails behind the township hall another 1.5 miles, all the way to Telegraph Road,” Manor said. “The board is also exploring the possibility of putting pedestrian/bike paths and trials connecting the majority of the township subdivisions to the Loop Trail providing accessibility to the City of Monroe and Sterling State Park.”
The township also recently purchased 2.75 acres of vacant land behind the single-family home at 4845 E. Dunbar Road.
“We do not have a definitive plan yet, but anticipate possibly using it as a multi-purpose field (soccer/football) and providing direct access to the adjoining subdivision (Dunbar Estates) to our existing park and trail system,” Manor said in August.
— Contact reporter Suzanne Nolan Wisler at swisler@monroenews.com.
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Brand-new park, park renovation, pickleball among new recreation coming to Monroe Township
Reporting by Suzanne Nolan Wisler, The Monroe News / The Monroe News
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