Manistee County developed this recreation plan to serve as a guideline to improve access to natural resources & recreation facilities and to develop new recreational opportunities. The planning process took about a year to complete, beginning in August 2007. The Manistee County Recreation Plan was adopted on Tuesday, October 28, 2008, by the Mansitee County Board of Commissioners. The year-long planning process was guided by a 30-member steering committee comprised of local government representatives, other recreation providers, and key stakeholders in Manistee County. The foundation of the goals in the plan are based upon input from the citizens of Manistee County.
The Manistee County Recreation Plan:
- Involved all interests in the process to develop a five-year recreation plan,
- Identified and mapped many of the existing recreational facilities and assets in Manistee County,
- Built common ground among diverse Manistee County interests in addressing the future recreational needs and priorities of the county,
- Enabled Manistee County and its local governments and nonprofit organizations to be eligible for financial and technical assistance based upon the Recreation Plan,
- Provided intergovernmental collaboration in establishing recreation goals, objectives, and actions, and
- Produced a plan for barrier-free, Universal Access to recreational facilities countywide.
Manistee County will use the plan to guide their work on all future recreational and parks projects within the county. It is also a strategic document that articulates specific goals to various agencies and organizations that fund parks and recreation improvement projects. The plan was developed in accordance to the guidelines for Community Park, Recreation, Open Space, and Greenway Plans published by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Completion of a five-year recreation plan allows Manistee County to pursue DNR-administered grants.
