Renewal of Wayne County Parks Millage on the Horizon

Hey there, Detroit, we’ve got some news you might want to check out. Do you remember the Wayne County parks millage? Yeah, the one that funds operations, maintenance, and upgrades all across our proud county’s 5,600 acres of beautiful park system. Well, we’re being asked to renew it in the upcoming Aug. 6 primary election. If approved, Proposal P is set to drum up a whopping $14.47 million in 2026.

This millage, which is just under a quarter mill, would cost homeowners with a taxable value of $100,000, a yearly $24.42 on their winter tax bills. That’s like, two large pizzas, right? In the last fiscal years, this millage generated around, yes you heard it right, $10 million bucks. This was mostly used to fund operations, management, and capital improvements for county parks and recreation sites.

Now, let’s dig deeper. According to some really smart folks over at BridgeDetroit, Detroit taxpayers shelled out over $2 million into the county’s parks fund in the last fiscal year alone. I don’t know about you, but that’s a lot of dough! And guess what? Detroiter’s cash is talking and making a big difference! $900,000 contributed by Detroit taxpayers since 2021 has been invested into making our parks better. So we’re kinda winning this thing, aren’t we?

Some of our local parks like Johnston, Sasser, Van Antwerp, Eliza Howell, and Voigt parks have benefited and shown some great improvements. Also, let’s not forget that in the past, millage funds have been a massive boost to places like Perrien and Pingree parks.

Now let’s dive into Detroit proper. One of our favorites, the Wayne County Family Aquatic Center in Chandler Park has been a big beneficiary too! Fun fact: it’s the only county-owned park in the city. Not to mention, it’s the only waterpark around Detroit, packed with awesome features like a splash pad, wave pool, and two monster 23-foot slides! And the best part? It’s affordable! Costs to access the pool is just between $2 and $7. A steal!”

Around $1.5 million from the millage fund is returned to local municipalities every year to fund parks. That’s kinda like giving back to the community in a really cool way. So, if you’re interested in seeing a park in your neighbourhood improved, make sure you voice your opinion. After all, a park is where we create memories, isn’t it?”

Besides all this, there’re also plans to connect the city’s park system and the county’s trail system. In simpler words, imagine being able to walk or cycle all the way from Hines Park to Rouge Park, and then even to the Detroit River. That’s like having your own personal greenway.

Bottom Line, Wayne County spends about $7.20 per resident on parks and recreation activities. Might sound a bit low, especially when you think about all the work that needs to be done to maintain our parks looking fantastic. But hey, we got to start somewhere, and we’ve been doing pretty good so far. So, let’s keep the good times rolling and continue contributing towards the millage. Not just for us, but for the generations to come.