Whitmer Wants $150M Invested In Parks. Here's What That Includes.

LANSING, MI — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer this week proposed an investment in community parks and recreation facilities of $150 million. The money would come from federal relief dollars from President Joe Biden's American Rescue Plan and would be dedicated to addressing needs in local park systems, according to the state.

The investment also would create jobs across the state and could help jumpstart Michigan's economy, Whitmer's office said.

“These two new investment programs, totaling $400 million, mark a once-in-a-generation chance to improve quality of life for our residents, support local economies and bring people back to Michigan as the state continues its recovery from the effects of the pandemic,” Whitmer said. “These investments will ensure our children and grandchildren continue to enjoy the rejuvenating benefits of natural beauty and outdoor spaces so prized by Michiganders. I look forward to working with the Legislature to secure this investment for our communities.”

Whitmer announced the proposed investment Tuesday at the Idema Explorers Trail in Ottawa County. The proposed investment would be administered as a grant program by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and would support the economies, health and recovery of communities across the state, officials said.

Whitmer announced a similar proposal to invest $250 million of American Rescue Plan funding in parks and trails managed by the state last month.

Officials said that tourism to Michigan parks generates value for surrounding communities, creates jobs and sustains small businesses. Michigan’s outdoor recreation industry supports billions in state Gross Domestic Product and sustains 126,000 jobs and over $4.7 billion in wages and salaries in the state. On average, every $1 invested in land conservation leads to $4 in economic benefit.

One measure of recreational needs in local communities is the number of grant requests received each year by the DNR that go unfunded, according to the state. Over the last five years, the average of development grant applications to the DNR for three primary grant programs — the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund, Recreation Passport Grants and Land and Water Conservation Fund — has approached $40 million annually. Nearly $20 million of those annual requests could not be met because of lack of available funding.