East Lansing's parks and facilities are good already. Improvement and public involvement will make them even better.
The Community Parks and Recreation Plan steering committee met with the public last week to gain input on the development of a new five-year parks and recreation plan.
The Department of Parks, Recreation & Arts provides the East Lansing community with child care, a wide array of classes and sports leagues and keeps many of East Lansing's quality facilities, such as the Family Aquatic Center, up and running.
According to Tim McCaffrey, director of the Department of Parks, Recreation & Arts, East Lansing has invested only $20,000 in park and recreation programs in the last 11 years. If you do the math, that's less than $2,000 a year to keep a community happy and active, which seems like a pretty good deal.
Community input for plans like these are important for keeping the public involved and satisfied.
The department is doing a good job of speaking with members of the community who will benefit from the plan for a longer period of time — many of whom are permanent residents with families who use the department's programs.
The steering committee is planning another community workshop directed toward junior high students. The students' contributions are important since most will finish their high school education in the city of East Lansing and be around during the next few years when these plans become a reality.
But current MSU students can benefit greatly from classes and facilities provided by the East Lansing Recreation and Arts program now. Leisure time away from school can quickly be filled with a variety of workshops and classes, such as ceramics, yoga or adult sports teams.
The East Lansing Northern Tier Trail is another great place to spend some time away from the hustle and bustle of student life. The trail is a free outdoor spot to spend the afternoon hiking, biking, walking or jogging and is connected to six community parks.
The department projects, such as this, are important to East Lansing.
And getting the public's insight on future projects and working toward a new plan is a great way to strengthen our community.
