Oakland County Parks and Recreation enhances the quality of life for those living and working in Oakland County. The 13-park system includes 68 miles of trails, day-use parks, campgrounds, nature centers, waterparks and golf courses. The parks system serves 1.5 million visitors annually.
"Families have placed significant value on the Oakland County Parks system for nearly 45 years," Pecky D. Lewis, Jr., parks commission chairman, said. "County residents have indicated to our staff in surveys that their greatest recreation need is for walking, biking and hiking trails, followed by picnic areas and shelters and hard surfaced trails."
Recreation, leisure and learning experiences are made possible through special events, programs and facilities supported in part by a quarter-mill tax. Homeowners pay an average of $21 on a $175,000 market value home to maintain, improve and acquire parkland.
Highlights for 2010 include:
- Opening of the universally accessible Paradise Peninsula Playscape at Waterford Oaks County Park. The nearly 13,000-square-foot structure features simulated rock, water and fossil characteristics indicative of the Great Lakes State. From the playground, children and adults can view and interact with the 176-acre property's natural trails, open recreation areas and picnic shelters.
- Oakland County Parks and Recreation opened its third dog park at Red Oaks in Madison Heights in July. Located on Dequindre Road, the 5.2-acre off-leash dog park features three dog enclosures, a picnic shelter and drinking water for dogs. The other dog parks are located at Lyon Oaks County Park in Lyon Township and Orion Oaks County Park in Orion Township.
- Also new this year is the Red Oaks Youth Soccer Complex, conveniently located across the street from Red Oaks Golf Course. The soccer complex features soccer fields, concession building with restrooms and meeting space, and a playground.
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