In this issue

• Hazel Park, Royal Oak Township celebrate playground grand openings
• Red Oaks Pro Shop named for longtime parks commissioner Pecky D. Lewis

• Lyon Oaks playground, pickleball court ribbon cutting set for June 22

• Make a splash at Red Oaks Waterpark, Waterford Oaks Wave Pool

• Sunshine and smiles: Join us at upcoming summer events

• Relax and Recharge at Addison, Groveland Oaks campgrounds

• It's time for the Oakland County Fair

• Waterford Oaks BMX to host Stars and Stripes Nationals

• Red Oaks Nature Center receives award from Girl Scouts

• Tee off at OCP's five golf courses

• Enjoy fresh produce, community events at the Oakland County Farmers Market

Hazel Park and Oakland County Parks officials, commissioners and staff joined Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter at the Green Acres Park playground grand opening on April 20.

Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter, Oakland County Board of Commissioner and Parks Commissioners and Royal Oak Township staff and trustees did the ribbon-cutting honors.

First ARPA projects cross the finish line

Local and county officials highlighted the benefits of two new playgrounds during grand opening ceremonies this spring at Green Acres Park in Hazel Park on April 20 and Mack-Rowe Park in Royal Oak Township on May 18.

The new accessible play areas incorporate a nature theme, with numerous swings, including infant swings and inclusive swings; slides of varying heights; spring riders; and climbing structures. They encourage creative play with musical play elements and activities that promote sensory experiences. 

In 2022, the Oakland County Board of Commissioners and County Executive Dave Coulter approved $15 million for OCP from pandemic relief funds the county received as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Combined with a $5.2 million match from the Oakland County Parks and Recreation Commission, this provided the parks system with substantial funds to revitalize and enhance parks located in or servicing residents of communities most impacted by the pandemic. 

Read the news releases for Green Acres Park and Mack-Rowe Park for details. The playgrounds are the first projects to be completed. To see the other projects planned, visit OaklandCountyParks.com.

Gathered for dedication of the Pecky D. Lewis, Jr. Pro Shop are: Oakland County Board of Commissioners Chair David Woodward, BOC/Parks Commissioner Ann Erickson Gault, David Lewis, Sue Halliday, Vivian Lewis, Gary Halliday, Pete Halliday, BOC Commissioner/Parks Executive Committee Member Yolanda Smith Charles, Parks Vice Chair J. David VanderVeen and Oakland County Water Resources/Parks Commissioner Jim Nash.

Red Oaks Golf Pro Shop renamed for longest serving chair

Time for some 'splash-tastic' fun at the waterpark, wave pool

Red Oaks Waterpark and Waterford Oaks Wave Pool are now open for the season.    Red Oaks Waterpark offers a wave pool, triple-flume waterslide that older children and teenagers will especially enjoy and SplashTown, a splash pad with 52 interactive water features, including a water play climber with slides and a dumping bucket, for children off all ages. Adults and older children can also unwind by grabbing a tube and floating on the River Ride, a 990-foot-long moving river. The waterpark provides lounge chairs and picnic areas, so guests can relax in the summer sun. At Waterford Oaks Wave Pool, guests will be delighted by the tropical wave pool that features palm trees and bubbler fountains near the shore. The wave pool is heated, so the water is warm even when outdoor temperatures are cool.   Guests are encouraged to purchase waterpark and wave pool tickets online at OaklandCountyParks.com up to three days prior to day of visit. Tickets can also be purchased on site during regular hours. It is recommended that guests check ticket availability for specific days before coming out to the waterpark or wave pool because many days sell out in advance. Children ages 0-11 must be accompanied by an adult.   For hours of operation and admission prices, visit OaklandCountyParks.com.

Have lots of adventures under the sun with us this summer

Oakland County Parks’ Recreation Programs and Services has planned a whole summer jam-packed with fun and festivities.      From Archery Adventure Camps and a Fishing Derby to pool parties and inflatables, there’s a little something for everyone and every interest.    “Oakland County Parks serves all residents, but we don’t have parks in every community. We want to reach as many people as we can, especially in our Priority Equity Communities,” Brandy Boyd, Chief of Recreation Programs and Services (RPS), said.   You can see them all on the Events Calendar at OaklandCountyParks.com. But RPS has so much more in store this season. The team will also bring mobile recreation equipment to several community-hosted events, including those sponsored through the Recreation Assistance Partnership Program, which awards grants to municipalities and nonprofit organizations to create recreation opportunities in their communities. They are scheduled in 47 different communities within Oakland County this summer.    “RPS Mobile Recreation serves three functions: We partner with communities and organizations hosting events. We provide resources and participate in the planning stage of the event,” Boyd explained. “We also enhance events in the community that are already happening. We’re the icing on top of the cake. And third we help coordinate several different organizations within a community or neighboring communities to help pool resources to create community collaborations. We can provide more of our mobile units to one event and make a bigger impact instead of sending one unit to a couple of smaller events. It’s a win-win for the organizations, OCP and the community participants.”

Campgrounds offer new features

Addison Oaks and Groveland Oaks campgrounds are open for the season and offering new amenities.   Groveland Camp Store At Groveland Oaks, the boat docks have been located adjacent to the beach area providing bike and boat rentals at one location. A new camp store (pictured above) also opened its doors.   “Staff created a vibe of an old-time store specifically for campers. The store carries common camping and picnic necessities, such as ice, bait, firewood, ice cream, drinks, candy, microwavable items, souvenirs and children’s toys,” Groveland Oaks County Park Supervisor Jamie Weasel said. “The camp store will soon expand its offerings with Ferry Farms’ Michigan made products.”

Addison campsites At Addison Oaks Campground, 10 new camping sites with cement pads, water and 30/50-amp service are now available for rental. Two of these sites are ADA-accessible. The sites are located near Area A restroom building.     Train rides Campers and day visitors can experience a fun new amenity - a train available for rides (top photo at right). With an ADA-accessible caboose constructed by parks facilities staff, the train will operate Saturdays and holiday Sundays through Labor Day weekend. Additional times will be added as staffing allows. Groveland Oaks Campground also offers a train with an ADA-accessible caboose.     Addison Solar System Trail At Addison Oaks Campground, a Solar System Trail will be available after its June 20 grand opening for those who want to learn more about the dark, starry night sky over the park. Addison Oaks County Park is home to the Oakland Astronomy Club.     “Addison Oaks made sense as the location of Oakland County Parks’ Solar System Trail because of its darker night sky," Chief of Park Operations and Maintenance – North District Thomas Hughes said. “We wanted to offer a unique attraction to get people outdoors, and having both a size scale model and distance scale model of the solar system is rare in our area. It will enable users of varying ages and abilities to enjoy astronomy.”

Oakland County Fair returns to Springfield Oaks July 5-14

Make plans to attend one of summer’s most anticipated, quintessential events – the Oakland County Fair. The fairgrounds return to Springfield Oaks County Park in Davisburg July 5-14. Oakland County Parks is a presenting sponsor of the fair.

New this year is Sea Lions Splash, an educational show sure to have fairgoers smiling as the sea lions display their fun skills and silly antics. The fair will also feature animal barns, youth displays, shows and attractions, main arena events, tasty food selections, Big Rock Amusements carnival and themed days like Senior Day on July 8 and Individuals with Disabilities Day on July 11.

Fair parking, which includes admission, is $15/vehicle and $10/motorcycle or walk-in. Presenting sponsor Oakland County Parks offers free parking Friday, July 5 and Thursday, July 11 with a 2024 Oakland County Parks Vehicle Permit. Fireworks will begin after dusk following the Friday night, July 5, concert by the Grant Reiff Band and the Crowning of 2024 Oakland County Fair Royalty.

For a complete fair schedule, visit OakFair.org.

Waterford Oaks to host Stars and Stripes Nationals

Waterford Oaks BMX is honored to host the Stars and Stripes Nationals Friday, July 5-Sunday, July 7. Join us for all the action at Waterford Oaks County Park and be a part of the BMX track's 50th anniversary season.

For details about the Stars and Stripes Nationals or USA BMX National Series, visit usabmx.com.

Pictured left to right with the award: Recreation Program Specialist Val Preston, Recreation Program Specialist Sarah Endres, Park Attendant Lili Gronstad, Office Leader Tony Urbanik, Naturalist Benjamin Prowse and Oakie.

Red Oaks Nature Center staff earn Girl Scout award