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Allen Park
Parks and Recreation Department: 15800 White St., 1-313-928-0771Key Parks: Champaign Park, Champaign at Pelham.
Champaign Park offers picnic shelters, handicapped-accessible restrooms, an in-line skating rink and playground equipment. The city has an enclosed ice arena, 14 parks, seven tot lots, 16 baseball fields, three outdoor basketball courts, 12 tennis courts and seven soccer fields.
Cunningham Park (Pinecrest at Southfield) and Rotary/Les Millward Park (off Reeck Road north of Goddard Road) also offer picnic shelters, restrooms that are handicapped accessible and playground equipment.
Brownstown Township
Parks and Recreation Department: 21311 Telegraph Road, 1-734-675-0920Brownstown Township Community Center: 21311 Telegraph Road, 1-734-675-0920
Key Parks: Thorn Park, Telegraph at King roads
Thorn Park has a shelter, baseball diamonds, a picnic area and playground equipment.
Ecorse
Recreation Department: 1-313-386-2520Key Parks: John Dingell Park, along West Jefferson Avenue at Southfield Road.
At the foot of Southfield Road is Dingell Park, which offers a boardwalk and fishing in the Detroit River. Soccer fields are available at Municipal Field and a league is coordinated by a volunteer association. At Municipal Field, Pepper Road at Southfield, there are baseball diamonds.
Flat Rock
Recreation Department: 1 Maguire St., 1-734-379-1450Flat Rock Community Center: 1 Maguire St., 1-734-379-1450
Key Parks: Huroc Park, just west of Arsenal Road along the Huron River.
This 27.4-acre park is the city's largest, offering a gazebo overlooking the river, fishing (especially known for the steelhead), basketball courts, playground equipment, a covered foot bridge over the river and a 3/4-mile walking trail. Flat Rock Community Park, along Gibraltar Road just east of City Hall, offers a 13,000-square-foot play structure, softball fields, basketball and tennis courts, volleyball area, pavilion with grills, warming building and outdoor skating rink/fountain. The Munger General Store, which is headquarters to the Flat Rock Historical Society, also is in the park. Flat Rock Community Fields, which has four baseball/softball diamonds, is north of City Hall. The Flat Rock Community Center is surrounded by covered porches and decks that look out on woods and creeks. It houses a gymnasium, banquet facilities, multi-use rooms, a full-service kitchen, a day care center, a swimming pool, a fitness center, a track and many other features.
Gibraltar
Parks and Recreation Department: 29340 S. Gibraltar Road, 1-734-671-1466Gil Talbert Community Center: 29340 S. Gibraltar Road, 1-734-671-1466
Key Parks: Hy Dahlka Park, next to the community center.
Hy Dahlka Park offers basketball courts, ball diamonds, picnic area, a sled hill and playground equipment. City Hall Park, next to City Hall, offers playground equipment. The department has a children's Christmas party, and offers baseball, softball and a summer parks program.
Gibraltar Historical Museum: Second floor, City Hall, 29450 Munro Ave.; 1-734-676-3900.
Grosse Ile Township
Recreation Department: 25215 West River Road, 1-734-675-2364Key Parks: Water's Edge, 25215 West River Road, 1-734-675-0777 (golf course); Centennial Farm, Bellevue at Third streets; Airport Recreation Area, Meridian at Groh; Adventure Island, on Macomb Street.
Water's Edge, home to the Recreation Department, features a nine-hole golf course, driving range, marina, restaurant, outdoor pool and volleyball court. Centennial Farm is a 32-acre facility that includes an equestrian center, dog park, children's garden, play area, trails, an activity center and nature pond. Airport Recreation Area is home to the community sled hill and five soccer fields. Adventure Island is a wooden play structure of slides, swings, ladders, mazes and tunnels. The Grosse Ile Tennis Center is at 9251 Groh Road; its telephone number is 1-734-362-7529.
Huron Township
Key Parks: Lajko Park, Berlin Park.Lajko Park, at Huron River Drive near West Road, has a picnic shelter and baseball diamonds. Berlin Park, which is on Sterling Street, offers playground equipment.The Sportsman's Field is operated by the Huron Sportsmen's Association.
Lincoln Park
Parks and Recreation Department: 1-313-386-4075Lincoln Park Community Center: 3525 Dix-Toledo, 1-313-386-4075
Key Parks: Council Point Park, River Drive and Stewart; Youth Center Park, Dix and Gregory.
Council Point Park, the city's newest park, opened in 1995 and features an 8-foot-wide walking/biking path that approaches Ecorse Creek. The park includes a pavilion and a play structure with plenty of room for picnics.Two softball fields and two soccer fields also are within the park's 28 acres.Youth Center Park, the city's largest picnic park, features three large pavilions, electricity, restrooms, a pool, basketball courts, horseshoe pits and children's playground equipment. It is home to Lincoln Park Days. The community center has an ice rink.
Lincoln Park Historical Museum: 1335 Southfield Road; 1-313-386-3137; www.lphistorical.org; Muriel Lobb, director.
Melvindale
Parks and Recreation Department/Civic Arena: 4300 S. Dearborn, 1-313-429-1089Key Parks: Lankford Park, Palmer Street north of Outer Drive.
Lankford Park has a skate park, playground equipment, a track, a picnic shelter with handicapped-accessible restrooms and a fitness trail. The city has seven parks. It has one soccer field, three baseball fields and tennis courts.
River Rouge
Key Parks: Belanger Park, on Belanger Park Drive off Marion.This waterfront park offers a picnic area, shelter, playground equipment, fishing and a boat launch. It is one of two parks in the city. The other is Memorial Park at West Jefferson Avenue and East Great Lakes Street. It offers tennis and picnic facilities.
Riverview
Parks and Recreation Department: 14100 Civic Park Drive, 1-734-281-4219Community Center: 14260 Sibley Road, 1-734-281-4219
Key Parks: Young Patriots Park.
Young Patriots Park is off Sibley Road, west of Fort Street. It is one of 14 community and neighborhood parks, which offer a wide range of facilities.
Riverview Highlands Golf Course: 15015 Sibley Road, 1-734-479-2266
Rockwood
Rockwood Recreation Department: 32409 Fort Road, 1-734-379-9496Rockwood Community Center: 32001 Fort Road, 1-734-379-5600
Key Parks: Mercure Park, off Fort Road, next to the community center.
The 46.7-acre Mercure Park offers three picnic pavilions, two baseball fields, a tennis court, a volleyball court, playground equipment and a sled hill. It also has an in-line skating rink. Silver Creek Park, on Silver Creek Street near Lafler, has playground equipment.
Romulus
Recreation Department: 35765 North Line Road, 1-734-941-8665Key Parks: Elmer Johnson Park, off Ozga and Wick roads.
At Johnson Park, there are a variety of recreational opportunities, including softball diamonds, tennis courts, sand volleyball courts, playground equipment, horseshoe pits, basketball courts, picnic areas and an archery range. It is one of nine parks in the city. Romulus also offers a variety of classes, from crafts to dancing and quilting. In addition, there are dance and gymnastic classes for children and drop-in basketball. The Romulus Little League Baseball program and Romulus Flyers football program are run by volunteer organizations.
Romulus Athletic Center: 35765 North Line Road; 1-734-942-2223; www.romulusathleticcenter.com.
Southgate
Parks and Recreation Department: 14700 Reaume Parkway, 1-734-258-3035Southgate Civic Center: 14700 Reaume Parkway, 1-734-258-3066
Key Parks: Homer Howard Park, 14400 Dix-Toledo.
Homer Howard is the city's largest park, covering 25.3 acres behind the municipal complex. It comprises ball diamonds, tennis courts, batting cages and the ice arena. Other large parks are Kiwanis Park at the corner of Trenton Road and Leroy and Lions Park at Superior and Reaume Parkway. Southgate offers a variety of year-round recreational activities ranging from swimming in the summer to ice skating in the winter. Youth baseball, softball, soccer, golf, dance and other activities are available to people of all ages.
Southgate Golf Course: 14600 Reaume Parkway; 1-734-258-3004
Southgate Historical Museum: 14120 Dix-Toledo; 1-734-281-4319
Taylor
Parks and Recreation Department: 22805 Goddard Road, 1-734-374-3906Taylor Recreation Center: 1-734-374-3901
Key Parks: Heritage Park, 12111 Pardee Road.
The park features 120 acres for recreation (including soccer and baseball fields, playgrounds and picnicking), plus a nine-acre theme park with old-fashioned shops, a pier, a covered bridge, a train station, a water wheel, a one-room schoolhouse, a gazebo, a walking path, a nondenominational church and a historical library.
Heritage Park Petting Farm, 12803 Pardee Road (at North Line), 1-734-374-5946
Heritage Park Activity Building, 12115 Pardee Road
Sheridan Community Center, 12111 Pardee Road
Taylor Sportsplex, 13333 Telegraph Road, 1-734-374-8900
Lakes of Taylor Golf Club, 25505 North Line Road, 1-734-287-2100
Taylor Meadows Golf Club, 25360 Ecorse Road, 1-734-287-2100
Trenton
Parks and Recreation Department: 2800 Third St., 1-734-675-7300The department oversees several city parks, including the waterfront Rotary Park; the Kennedy Recreation Center, featuring three ice arenas; the Kennedy Outdoor Aquatic Center; the Westfield Activities Center; the Emily Bridge Cultural Center; and year-round classes and activities for every season.
Emily Bridge Cultural Center: 2427 Edsel
Haas Park Building: 86 Washington
Kennedy Recreation Center: 3101 West Road
Teifer Community Building: 2911 William R
Trenton Village Theatre: 2447 W. Jefferson Ave.;1-734-362-8153
Westfield Activities Center: 2700 Westfield; 1-734-675-0063
Woodhaven
Parks and Recreation Department: 23101 Hall Road, 1-734-675-4926Key Parks: Civic Center Park on Hall Road, south of West Road.
At Civic Center Park, there are 100 acres of playground and picnic areas in addition to an ice pond, nature area, asphalt walking path, volleyball facility and picnic shelter. At Deerfield Park on Chipmunk Trail between King and West roads, there are a walking path, an ice pond and various climbing structures for children. Through the Parks and Recreation Department, there are various communitywide celebrations in addition to various senior activities, youth sports and family programs, which include exercise and craft programs.
Wyandotte
Recreation Department: 3131 Third St., 1-734-324-7290Key Parks: Bishop Park, on Van Alstyne between Chestnut and Vinewood, along the Detroit River.
Bishop Park offers picnic areas, two picnic shelters, restrooms/concessions, playground equipment, a fishing dock and a view of the Detroit River. The park is one of 16 in the city. In the summer, there are supervised programs at the other neighborhood parks. BASF Waterfront Park and Wyandotte Shores Golf Course add to the city's recreational offerings. The Yack Recreation Center is home to the Wyandotte Figure Skating Club, the Wyandotte Warriors Hockey Association and the Roosevelt and Our Lady of Mount Carmel high school hockey teams.
Yack Recreation Center, 3131 Third St., 1-734-324-7292
Wyandotte Boat Ramp, 711 Biddle Ave., 1-734-284-6774
Wyandotte Shores Golf Course, 3625 Biddle Ave., 1-734-324-7270
Golf
GOLF COURSES
Gateway Golf Club
Type: Public. Address: 33290 Gateway Drive, Romulus. Telephone
number: 1-734-721-4100. Web site:
www.gatewaygolfclub.org. Holes:
18. Par: 72.
Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club
Type: Private. Address: 9339 Bellevue, Grosse Ile. Telephone
number: 1-734-676-1166. Web site:
www.gigcc.com. Holes: 18. Par: 71, men; 75, women.
Lake Erie Metropark Golf Course
Type: Public. Address:
14700 Lee Road, Brownstown Township. Telephone number: 1-734-379-0048.
Web site: www.metroparks.com.
Holes: 18. Par: 72.
Lakes of Taylor Golf Club
Type: Public. Address:
25505 North Line Road, Taylor. Telephone number: 1-734-287-2100. Web
site: www.taylorgolf.com. Holes:
18. Par: 72.
Riverview Highlands Golf Course
Type: Public. Address:
15015 Sibley Road, Riverview. Telephone number: 1-734-479-2266. Web
site: www.riverviewhighlands.com.
Holes: 27 — nine gold, nine red, nine blue. Par: 36 for each nine.
Southgate Golf Course
Type:
Public. Address: 14600 Reaume Parkway, Southgate. Telephone number:
1-734-258-3004. Web site:
www.southgate-mi.org/golf. Holes: 18. Par: 58.
Sultana Par 3 Golf Course
Type: Public. Address: 22201 Pennsylvania Road, Brownstown
Township. Telephone number: 1-734-285-7480. Holes: 18. Par:
54.
Taylor Meadows Golf Club
Type: Public. Address:
25360 Ecorse Road, Taylor. Telephone number: 1-734-287-2100. Web site:
www.taylorgolf.com. Holes:
18. Par: 71.
Grosse Ile Community Recreation/Water’s Edge
Golf Course
Type: Public. Address: 25215 West River Road, Grosse Ile. Telephone
number: 1-734-675-0777. Web site:
www.grosseile.com.
Holes: 9. Par: 35.
West Shore Golf and Country Club
Type: Private. Address:
22843 West River Road, Grosse Ile. Telephone number: 1-734-676-0330.
Web site: www.westshoregolfcc.com.
Holes: 18. Par: 71.
Willow Metropark Golf Course
Type: Public. Address:
22900 Huron River Drive, Huron Township. Telephone number:
1-734-753-4040. Web site:
www.metroparks.com. Holes: 18. Par: 72.
Woodside Meadows Golf Course
Type: Public. Address:
20820 Inkster Road, Huron Township. Telephone number: 1-734-782-5136.
Holes: 18. Par: 70.
Wyandotte Shores Golf Course
Type: Public. Address:
3625 Biddle Ave., Wyandotte. Telephone number: 1-734-324-7270. Web
site:
www.wyandotte.net. Holes: 9. Par: 36.
DRIVING RANGES
Greenfield Golf Center
Address: 3691 Greenfield Road,
Melvindale. Telephone number: 1-313-381-3700.
Midway Golf Practice Club
Address: 22381 Van Born Road,
Taylor. Telephone number: 1-313-277-9156.
Par-Fection Golf Center
Address: 20450 Sibley Road,
Brownstown Township. Telephone number: 1-734-281-0766.
Wayne County Parks
Web site: www.WayneCounty.com/mygovt/dps/depts/parks/
Telephone number: 1-734-261-1990.
Downriver facility: Elizabeth Park.
ELIZABETH PARK INFORMATION
Where: The entrance is off West Jefferson Avenue, one block south of West Road, Trenton. The park road is a loop.
Amenities: More than 1,300 feet of frontage for fishing and other activities along the Detroit River’s Trenton Channel; shelter building; pony rides; picnic areas; concession building; play structure; tennis courts; ball diamond, ice skating rink, tourist lodge, gazebo.
Among the special events: Somewhere in Time; the Trenton Rotary’s Roar on the River; concerts, including Jazz on the River; movies; Kids Kaleidoscope; scholastic cross country meets.
History: In October 1919, Elizabeth Slocum’s children bequeathed the 162-acre family estate to the Wayne County Park Trustees. It is the first Wayne County-owned park.
ELIZABETH PARK MARINA/BOAT LAUNCH
What: Four launching and loading wells; 52-slip mooring facility; utility hookup; pump station; shower facility.
Where: North of Grosse Ile Parkway, between West Jefferson Avenue and the Wayne County Free Bridge.
When: Open April 1 to Oct. 31.
Telephone number: 1-734-675-8051.
Metroparks
The Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority operates 14 parks throughout a five-county area, including four Downriver — Lake Erie, Oakwoods, Willow and Lower Huron metroparks.
Here’s a look at the metroparks:
Administrative office — Address: 13000 High Ridge Drive, Brighton, MI 48114-9058. Telephone number: 1-800-47-PARKS. Web site: www.Metroparks.com. Golf course telephone number: 1-800-23-GOLF-4.
Metropark entry fees — Daily: $5 vehicles; $5 boat launching. Annual vehicle passes: $25; $15 for senior citizens (ages 62 and up). Annual boat launching passes: $30; $15 for senior citizens. Of note: Annual passes can be purchased at metropark offices. Corporate discounts are available.
DOWNRIVER’S METROPARKS
Lake Erie Metropark — Address: 32481 W. Jefferson Ave., Brownstown Township, MI 48173. Telephone numbers: 1-734-379-5020; 1-800-477-3189. Entry points: Park entrance is on the east side of West Jefferson, just north of Huron River Drive; golf course/marina entrances are on Lee Road, east of West Jefferson. Highlights: 18-hole golf course; marina; boat launch; wave pool; nature study area; Marshlands Museum and Nature Center; fishing along Lake Erie; ice fishing; basketball, tennis and volleyball courts; picnic shelters; sledding hill; children’s play area; hiking and cross country ski trails. Of note: Hawkfest is in late September, and the park is one of North America’s premier hawk-watching sites. It also is the home to Luc, a rehabilitated bald eagle.
Oakwoods Metropark — Address: P.O. Box 332, Flat Rock, MI 48134. Telephone numbers: 1-734-782-3956; 1-800-477-3182. Entry point: On the south side of Willow Road, between Huron River Drive and Romine Road, Huron Township. Highlights: Nature center, nature study area, horse trail, three-mile hike-bike trail, voyageur canoe programs, fishing along the Huron River, picnic shelters.
Willow Metropark — Address: 17845 Savage Road, Belleville, MI 48111. Telephone numbers: 1-734-697-9181; 1-800-477-3182. Entry points: On the north side of Willow Road, between Romine Road and I-275; off South Huron Road, just east of I-275; For the golf course, on the west side of Huron River Drive, just north of West Road. All entry points are in Huron Township. Highlights: 18-hole golf course, 24-hole disc golf course, 4.5-mile hike-bike trail, bicycle rentals, picnic areas, Olympic-sized swimming pool, summer entertainment area, tot lot, skate park, sledding and tobogganing hills, groomed cross country ski trails, fishing on the Huron River and Washago Pond, ice fishing/ice skating/hockey on the pond, paddleboat and rowboat rentals, picnic shelters, basketball courts. Of note: The Chestnut Picnic Area, in the park’s southeast corner, is one of Downriver’s premier high school cross country courses, covering five kilometers (about 3.1 miles).
Lower Huron Metropark — Address: 17845 Savage Road, Belleville, MI 48111. Telephone numbers: 1-734-697-9181; 1-800-477-3182. Entry points: Off Waltz Road, north of Judd Road; Bemis at Savage roads; Haggerty Road at Huron River Drive, south of I-94. Highlights: 18-hole golf course, pool with slides, hike-bike trails, self-guided nature trails, skating ponds, camping, canoeing, basketball and tennis courts, picnic shelters, cross country skiing, shoreline fishing on the Huron River. Of note: Lower Huron is in three townships: Huron, Sumpter and Van Buren.
OTHER METROPARKS
Hudson Mills, Dexter-Huron and Delhi, near Dexter
Huron Meadows and Kensington, near Brighton
Indian Springs, near Clarkston
Stony Creek, near Rochester Hills
Wolcott Mill, near Romeo
Metro Beach, near Mount Clemens
Belle Isle, off Detroit (interpretive programs only)
WILDLIFE
Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge Large Lakes Research StationJohn Hartig, refuge manager
9311 Groh Road
Grosse Ile, MI 48138
1-734-692-7608
www.fws.gov/midwest/detroitriver
Under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the refuge is the only international wildlife refuge in North America. It includes islands, coastal wetlands, marshes, shoals and waterfront land along 48 miles of the Detroit River and the western Lake Erie shoreline.
Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge-Humbug Marsh Unit
5645 W. Jefferson Ave.
Trenton, MI 48183
www.fws.gov/Midwest/DetroitRiver/HumbugIndex.html
Humbug Marsh is 465 acres along West Jefferson Avenue near Vreeland Road in Trenton and Gibraltar. It contains the last mile of undeveloped shoreline along the Detroit River. Humbug Marsh has an environmental education shelter, interpretive trails, a wetlands boardwalk, a bald eagle platform and a stream crossing.
Pointe Mouillee State Game Area
37205 Mouillee Road, Route 2
Rockwood, MI 48173
1-734-379-9692
www.michigan.gov/dnr
Pointe Mouillee, a fresh water marsh, extends into Lake Erie near the mouth of the Huron River, and is in Wayne and Monroe counties. It's under the jurisdiction of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, and also includes Celeron and Stoney islands. There is an annual waterfowl festival. There is a boat ramp, and visitors can hike, fish and hunt (in season and in certain areas).
GREENWAYS INITIATIVE
Downriver Linked Greenways Initiative
Co-charwomen: Mary Bohling and Anita Twardesky
Web site:
www.downrivergreenways.org
The Downriver Linked Greenways Initiative is a regional nonmotorized pathway vision. It is envisioned that this regional pathway system will connect 21 Downriver communities, Wayne and Monroe counties through a network of trails and greenways, and will feed and link into a rapidly forming regional and statewide system of greenways. The system consists of four primary segments: North-South Connector, HCMA/East-West Connector, I-275 Trail System and Monroe/Lake Erie Trails. In addition to these four primary segments, the Downriver Linked Greenways will make connections north to Detroit along the Detroit River, west along the Rouge Gateway Greenway and Hines Parkway leading to Ann Arbor, and along adjacent waterways through the Detroit Heritage River Water Trail, connecting the local parks to the emerging regional and statewide network.
YMCA
Downriver Family YMCA
16777 North Line Road, Southgate, MI 48195
Telephone number: 1-734-282-9622
Web site: www.ymcadetroit.org
Executive director: John Lucher
The facility encompasses about 54,000 square feet and includes an indoor pool with a water slide and sauna, an outdoor splash park, an elevated track and fitness area, a gymnasium, a climbing wall, day camps, numerous physical fitness programs, meeting rooms and a cafe.