Snow blankets the playground at Rosie’s Park in Madison Heights Jan. 5. The city recently finalized its master plan for parks and recreation.
By: Andy Kozlowski | Madison-Park News | Published January 9, 2026
MADISON HEIGHTS — One of the last acts by the Madison Heights City Council in 2025 was the adoption of the parks and recreation master plan.
Unanimously adopted Dec. 8, the document outlines priorities for green spaces and events. The final draft followed extensive community feedback.
“I think the updated parks and recreation master plan was an outstanding use of our talented employees, saving the city money over using an outside contractor, and blending our community’s opinions and requests based on the surveys and town hall meetings,” said Mayor Corey Haines.
Four consistent themes were identified in the report: comfort and accessibility, cultural and social programming, diversified amenities, and safety and maintenance.
For comfort and accessibility, the city identified a strong desire for the parks to include more shade, improved restrooms and additional seating.
For cultural and social programming, the study found interest in more events that bring people together, such as concerts, art shows, food festivals and seasonal celebrations.
For diversified amenities, the report noted requests for a wider range of recreation options, both passive and active, from pickleball courts and sand volleyball courts to nature trails and community gardens.
And regarding maintenance, the study cited calls to continue and strengthen efforts around facility upkeep, pathway lighting and ensuring parks feel safe to all users.
Seven goals
From these themes, seven goals emerged.
The first is maintenance and enhancement of existing parks. The city will develop a capital replacement plan for facilities and equipment, take inventory of assets, and update the inventory each year. Signage will be reviewed and replaced, as needed, to improve clarity and aesthetics. The city will also review and adjust routes to minimize gaps connecting neighborhoods to parks.
The second goal is to add more “passive features” to parks lacking them. Examples include benches, picnic tables, short walking loops and “micro-retreats,” defined as small tranquil spaces such as garden nooks, bioswale seating pockets or meditation areas. The city will also be watching for opportunities to acquire more parcels to add green space.
The third goal is to promote active recreation for all users. The city aims to prioritize the completion of at least one accessibility improvement per year, as funding allows, offering more activities for those with physical and cognitive challenges. There will also be a recreation survey every five years to assess changing needs, regular public meetings to track progress, and talks with Oakland County and neighboring communities about the development of a jointly operated community and recreation center.
The fourth goal is to create programs suited to the city’s current and anticipated population. The city will study trends in program participation and adjust offerings, pricing and locations, reducing barriers created by age, income and ability level. The city also wants to introduce three new successful outdoor programs over the next three years and expand winter activities.
The fifth goal is to improve safety and security at the parks. This includes upgrading park lighting and deteriorating ballfield lights at Rosie’s Park, Huffman Park and Silverleaf Park, replacing them with new lights that are energy efficient. The city will add more lighting along frequently used pathways in other parks as well. A complete accessibility audit will be conducted to ensure facilities are safe for those with disabilities. Police officers and park rangers will focus on consistent monitoring to decrease vandalism, littering, damage and other violations.
The sixth goal is community engagement to raise awareness for the parks, such as articles in the city’s quarterly newsletter and seasonal campaigns on social media. The city wants to hold more theme-based events throughout the year, measure their success through attendance tracking and feedback surveys, and rotate events between neighborhood parks — a way to encourage people to try parks beyond their immediate area. There are also plans for a volunteer program in the parks.
The final goal is long-term sustainability of the parks. This includes pursuing grants and other funding sources while tracking applications and awards through an annual grant log. The city wants to pilot small-scale projects as a test run before implementing new programs. The city also wants to complete a public tree inventory early this year, plant 150 trees by the end of the year, identify priority areas for native landscaping and community gardens, and recruit and train volunteers to maintain them.
Feedback process
Residents played a key role in shaping the update. Feedback was collected through a series of community events, workshops and surveys, including nine events attended by city officials — from the Pre-Fourth of July Festival in the Park to the city’s inaugural summer concert series. There were also two formal public workshops last year, Aug. 7 and Sept. 29.
The report notes that progress toward accessibility and inclusion was made even as the master plan was being developed. One example is the communication boards that were installed in all city parks to support nonverbal communication — another way to be inclusive.
The city also promoted an online survey through postcards, social media, the city website and print media, including the city’s quarterly newsletter.
There were 818 responses, of which nearly 90% were from Madison Heights residents. About 28% of respondents were between the ages of 26 and 35, 32% were between the ages of 36 and 50, and 16% were between the ages of 51 and 65. About half had children living at home. Nearly 90% had visited a public park in the past year, with the most popular parks being Civic Center Park, Rosie’s Park and the Red Oaks Nature Center.
The most common barriers to greater park use, according to the study, were a lack of time (54%), not knowing about available activities in the first place (44%), and a desire for more or different amenities (38%).
“What stood out to me most were the clear and consistent themes that emerged from the data,” Madison Heights City Manager Melissa Marsh said in an email. “Residents were very thoughtful in sharing what they value about our existing parks, as well as where they see opportunities for improvement and future investment. … It was encouraging to see how engaged the community was, and how their input translated into a plan that truly reflects needs and expectations.”