Spring weather? It’s running a bit behind, but it’s coming. And there is good news for those looking to have fun outdoors in Southeast Michigan. The region has more than 2,600 parks, offering thousands of opportunities for residents and visitors to pursue their favorite recreational activities.
The better news is that it’s now easier than ever to find parks near you, to know exactly what activities they offer, or to find a park with a specific activity you enjoy.
Last summer, SEMCOG launched Southeast Michigan ParkFinder, an online map that includes an inventory of all the region’s parks, allowing users to search for them by location, size, and recreational amenities. Now, ParkFinder is available to download on your mobile device from the Apple’s App Store and the Google Play Store. Whether you’re looking for the closest swimming pool on a hot summer day (yes, we will have those!), a picnic table on your lunch break, kayak launches along a paddling route, or even restrooms along a hiking or biking trail, you can find it all on the ParkFinder app.
Our new video provides a small taste of what you can find using this new tool.
We hope you download and use ParkFinder as a jumping-off point to explore Southeast Michigan’s wealth of recreational opportunities. We also encourage you to share it with fellow outdoor enthusiasts and welcome your feedback on information updates and ways we can improve.
The ParkFinder app enables an easy search for parks near your location. Pictured here: Campus Martius seen out our window and on the app.
New regional task force on Parks and Recreation
In ongoing efforts to ensure that Southeast Michigan’s recreation system meets the quality of life, health, and accessibility needs of its residents and visitors, as well as the economic development and environmental goals of the region and local communities, SEMCOG has convened a Parks and Recreation Task Force. By guiding a holistic analysis of the region’s system, this group will focus on establishing benchmarks and metrics for recreational resources, and developing regional policies for implementation at the local level through specific priority actions.
At the last meeting of the Task Force, we asked members to answer a very serious question: What do you like to do for fun outdoors? Their answers covered a wide range of activities, from skiing and swimming to hunting and fishing. The most popular activities included walking, running, hiking, and biking. This reinforces the strong connection we see between trails, recreation, and fitness.
As you get out and enjoy all the recreation opportunities our region has to offer, let us know your favorite activities and your place to play. Maybe we’ll include it in our next video!
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