Westland council adopts 2025–2029 Parks and Recreation Master Plan

The Westland City Council on Monday approved the 2025–2029 Parks and Recreation Master Plan, a five-year roadmap intended to make the city eligible for state grants and guide parks investments through 2029.

The plan, presented by Laura Hall of McKenna, was described as a flexible document intended to keep Westland eligible for Michigan Department of Natural Resources grant programs and to capture community priorities gathered over more than six months of public outreach. “This plan, by having the plan on file by February 1st with the state ensures that the city of Westland is eligible for grants within the next 5 years,” Hall said during her presentation.

Council members and the public focused their remarks on funding, staffing and specifics for several neighborhood parks. Chris Gladys, chairperson of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee, emphasized the plan’s top objective: ensuring adequate staffing and stable funding for the parks department. “Goal number 1 is the main goal that needs to be addressed by council, to be able to fund the projects that are later on,” Gladys said.

Residents raised detailed concerns during the public hearing about park-by-park priorities. Corey Wilson, who lives near Annapolis Park and Stottlemyr Park, said many improvements for her neighborhood are listed as “to be determined” and that the plan concentrates funding in other parts of the city. “There’s nothing here for the area down there,” Wilson said, urging clearer timelines for southeastern parks.

Parks and Recreation Director Kyle Mulligan and McKenna staff replied that the master plan intentionally separates a high-level capital improvements guide from annual budget decisions and that some sites are listed as “TBD” pending community input and further study. Mulligan said some projects already reflect prior allocations of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding and existing CIP requests and that the city will continue to seek grant opportunities and adjust the plan in future budget cycles.

The plan lists systemwide goals including accessibility and mobility, environmental sustainability, safety, and expanded amenities for youth and seniors. The document inventory notes Westland has “over 19 parks, with over 500 acres” of public land and that only three parks currently have bicycle racks. The plan also includes a five-year, park-by-park CIP table intended as guidance rather than an annual budget.

Council discussion focused on how to fund the plan’s priorities. Several council members said staffing and a potential recreation center would materially change operating needs and costs, and they pressed the administration to return with more concrete funding options during the budget cycle. Council members also asked staff to preserve trees when planning a proposed disc-golf feature at JC Park and to work with neighborhood associations on design choices for large undeveloped sites.

A motion to adopt the plan was made by Councilwoman Rakowski and supported by Councilman Hart. With no dissent, the council approved the master plan. Mayor and staff noted the plan is a living document that can be amended as projects and funding sources are identified.

The council’s adoption allows Westland to file the plan with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources by the state deadline to preserve eligibility for certain competitive grant programs. Staff said they will return to council with additional details—such as project-level funding sources and potential timelines—during upcoming budget discussions.