Rolling Hills County Park:

Currently, WCPARC manages over 3,000 acres of land throughout Washtenaw County; all this land, and the facilities it houses, is accessible to the public. This should mean that everyone has the freedom and ability to use these County owned land and facilities. Unfortunately, some instances exist where access for people with disabilities is limited, for example, by structural characteristics of historic buildings or equipment that was built before the rights of disabled people were adequately recognized. This situation is improving, however. 

Legislation entitled the Americans with Disabilities Act [ADA], passed in 1990, now mandates access to recreation sites and facilities. In addition to significantly increasing recreation opportunities for the disabled, this important legislation has also stimulated an outgrowth of the concept of barrier-free construction to produce a "universal design" movement. In universal design the attempt is made to develop spaces and products that can be used by everyone, including people with disabilities. An automatically opening door like one at the main entrance to the Meri Lou Murray Recreation Center is an example.

To encourage recreation providers to afford equitable public access to Michigan's natural resources, including access for individuals with disabilities, the State of Michigan established an Access to Recreation Initiative in 2007. State grants help communities to go beyond legal requirements for accessibility to create public outdoor recreation environments that are usable by people of all abilities and ensure full participation in all aspects of the recreation experience. WCPARC applied for a Michigan Department of Natural Resources Trust Fund grant to make accessibility enhancements to Rolling Hills County Park to make its amenities and natural features more accessible to all visitors. The State has awarded WCPARC $157,000 ($61,000 from the Access to Recreation Initiative, the balance from the MNRTF) towards an estimated cost of approximately $400,000 to complete this project.

The main features of the project are: an expanded children's playground, a 90 person pavilion, a woodland observation "treehouse," interpretive signage and materials, retrofitting of existing fishing piers, decks, and observation structures to increase usability for persons with disabilities and landscape improvements. Significantly, all these new and renovated facilities will be connected by fully accessible, multiuse trails. Working with County staff, the consultant team of OHM and Beckett and Raeder completed the design drawings during the past summer. Project construction is scheduled for this fall. When completed even more people with or without disabilities will be able to enjoy the natural beauty and varied recreational opportunities offered by Rolling Hills County Park.

Richard Kent, Park Planner