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DOWAGIAC — Community members gathered at Dowagiac Middle School Tuesday to help imagine the future of city parks and recreation opportunities as the City of Dowagiac prepares to update its parks and recreation plan.  

The city hosted a public input meeting on Tuesday night at the Dowagiac Middle School Cafeteria, which provided an opportunity for residents to share their thoughts on the future of recreational opportunities in the city. 

“It feels great to have so many people come out and share their input and their love of the parks and what they’d like to see us do moving forward,” said Assistant City Manager Amanda Sleigh.

Those in attendance were able to voice their opinions to Sleigh as well as write down what they would like to see happen with each of Dowagiac’s park properties. 

“I think there was some good input by people,” he said. “I don’t know how they finance some of these things but we don’t know what to finance until we find out what people are thinking about.”

Daniels said he would like to see a public restroom established downtown.

“If you bring your family downtown, there’s no place to use the bathroom and nobody wants to use a porta john downtown. We have some kayaking opportunities since we have water – it’s always a big draw to people. Speaking for the seniors, pickleball is huge.”

Sleigh said the meeting was structured similarly to the online survey residents and business owners can take. The survey asks what types of improvements residents would like to see, what recreational opportunities are most important, what parks residents visit most, and more.  

“A lot of that was to provide consistency in the feedback we’re getting but we wanted to make sure we had the public event as well to give people an opportunity to come in and share some of their thoughts and comments and concerns that couldn’t really be relayed very well online,” she said.

Among the recreational opportunities deemed “most important” to those in attendance were playground equipment, picnic areas, paved multi-use trails and benches. Residents also posted they would like to see more dog parks and pavilions.

Residents can take the survey online by visiting www.surveymonkey.com/r/DowagiacRecPlan or you can pick up a paper copy of the survey at Dowagiac City Hall, 241 S Front St, Dowagiac, MI 49047, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.  The survey must be completed by Sept. 20, 2024. 

According to Sleigh, more than 100 community members have responded to the survey.

“It’s great,” she said. “The more feedback we can get the better.”

A community parks and recreation plan provides a five-year framework for decisions regarding the establishment, development, and maintenance of recreational programs and facilities. Having the plan is also necessary to be eligible for certain state and federal grants. 

Highlights of the previous plan include the Elks Trail development and the establishment of Burling Park, maintaining current park systems to improve accessibility and creating public access to the flowing waters of the Dowagiac Creek at all locations where streets and flowing water intersect.

Those with questions can contact Bekah Schrag with the Southwest Michigan Planning Commission at (269) 925-1137 x1521 or at schragb@swmpc.org.  The Southwest Michigan Planning Commission is assisting the city with the development of the plan.

Community-owned parks and recreational facilities

Russom Park – 18 acres: This park located in the far northwest section of the City and supports an area wide youth sports program including baseball, softball, soccer and football, as well as biking and walking pathways and a universally accessible play area. Ample parking is available for spectators and park users. 

Heddon Park – 3.5 acres: Heddon Park provides bank-fishing opportunities for persons with disabilities and is likely the most popular park in Dowagiac’s system. The park is used year round by all socio-economic groups for fishing, picnicking or just a spot to “get away” for a while. 

Water Tower Park – 5 acres: This park provides both active and passive recreation in the northeast center of the City. Active recreation facilities include a softball field, basketball courts, horseshoe courts, playground and newly renovated pavilion. Passive recreation is primarily centered around the picnic pavilion complete with grills and picnic tables. This park is situated adjacent to a low and moderate-income housing project and directly serves the population of this housing project. 

Optimist Park – 4 acres: This park is located in the central part of the City and is directly adjacent to the Dowagiac Creek. Passive recreation is the primary focus of this park due to its heavily shaded area and proximity adjacent to the creek. 

5) Mill Pond Park – 40 acres: The Mill Pond Park is located between the Dowagiac Creek and Dowagiac Elks Golf Course and encompasses nearly 35 acres of flood plain of the Dowagiac Creek. This park is totally passive in nature and provides access to the creek. The park serves as an outdoor laboratory for the school system’s biology classes. This park will become even more important as the City plans to expand the trail system along Dowagiac Creek to this park. The value of a large natural area centrally located in the community is a priority.

Schurr (Cass Avenue Trailhead) Park – 1 acre: This recently completed park provides an accessible fishing platform along the creek, rain garden plantings, built in play equipment, and benches for enjoying the natural areas. Phase 2 included acquisition of a property easement along the Dowagiac Creek that will effectively provide the ability to place a natural trail and/or pathway link along the creek from downtown to trails leading to the Southwestern Michigan College trail system and the City’s trail system.

Rotary Park – 10 acres: This facility is the focal point of many organized sports and active recreation within the community. Rotary Park includes a regulation baseball field, regulation lighted softball field, skatepark, restroom facilities, and shaded picnic and playground area. This park is also significant in that it is a connecting trailhead for nearly eight miles of cross-country walking and skiing trails contained in the Rudolphi Woods and Rudolphi Wildlife Refuge, which are located to the park’s south and southeast. This park serves both as a neighborhood and community park. 

Rudolphi Wildlife Refuge and Rudolphi Woods – 155 acres: These combined passive natural areas provide 155 acres of quiet recreation, nature study, and cross-country trails for the community. These areas, in combination with the contiguous 75-acre Southwestern Michigan College natural area, are particularly important in that they contain a major outdoor recreation resource. These areas, connected through Rotary Park, encompass approximately eight miles of cross-country walking, running, and ski trails along with various identification areas for native flora. In all, 235 acres are available in the east and southeastern section of the community. 

Walter Ward Park – 3 acres: This park is located in the southwestern part of the City and has been developed through the use of State Bond Fund monies in the 1970’s as well as grants from Department of Housing and Urban Development in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. The City funded a major renovation in 2000-2002. Walter Ward Park is the focal point of the community in which it is situated. It is primarily active in nature by providing basketball courts, a softball field, playground equipment, and a picnic shelter. 

Northwest Park – 5.5 acres: This park is located adjacent to the Dowagiac High School in the (as the name suggests) northwest part of the community and currently enjoys considerable “spontaneous” use. This park, combined with the adjacent school facilities, becomes a major open-space resource for the northwest segment of the community. 

Huston Park- 1 acre: This park was recently acquired from the Dowagiac school system after closure of the adjacent elementary school. Huston Park is located in the southwestern section of the city and provides active and passive recreation centered around playground equipment and shaded seating areas. 

Lincoln Park – .03 acres: This park was acquired from the Dowagiac school system after closure of the adjacent elementary school. Lincoln Park is located in the northeastern section of the city and provides passive recreation centered around playground equipment. 

Farr Park – 1.1 acres: Farr Park is totally passive in nature and was expanded as a result of the re-routing of highways M51 and M62 within the City. Through funds provided by the City and Downtown Development Authority, substantial improvements have been made in this park. Floral displays, a veteran’s flag display, as well as new sidewalks and seating have been established. A Tuck Langland bronze sculpture “Dance of Creation” provided the inspiration for the official City of Dowagiac logo. This park is a stop on the City’s walking “SculpTour”. 

Rudy Park – 4 acres: The City maintains Rudy Park on the eastern most side of Dowagiac that is situated adjacent to Mill Pond. This park, although not directly used by the public, is established for floral displays of native wildflowers and flowering trees. Passing motorists appreciate the beautiful landscape provided by the seasonal-changing display of color and blossoms. The modern sculpture “Active Hybrid” by renowned artist Richard Hunt provides a focal interest of this special mini park. This park is a stop on the City’s walking “SculpTour”. 

Burke Park – 3 acres: This passive park on M51/M62 West has been developed over the past several years with benches, sidewalks, and landscaping all which highlight a 30-foot monument dedicated to the soldiers of the Civil War. This park is a stop on the City’s walking “SculpTour”. Accessibility (4)

Beckwith Park – .03 acres: Beckwith Park is located in the central business district. It was developed in 1997 through the Downtown Development Authority as a venue for special community events. This park is located in the Central Business District and hosts the majority of the City’s cultural and downtown events. This park is stop on the City’s walking “SculpTour”. 

SculpTour-walking tour of park sculptures; .06 to 2-mile walk: SculpTour offers self-guided walking tours ranging from .06 miles of accessible paved sidewalks to a 2-mile walk within the City. The 13 sculptures are located in various city parks and green spaces which provide both active and passive recreational opportunities through walking the tour or park benches that provide a resting place to view the art work.