Politics & Government

Long-Awaited Athletic Fields in Hartland Gain New Momentum

Planning Commission approves revised plan for new park on M-59 as officials explore partnership with schools for site near Township Hall.

Plans for new athletic fields in Hartland are once again gaining traction with officials now hoping to break ground on what would be a 64-acre park for soccer, football and lacrosse off of M-59 and near Pleasant Valley Road this spring.

As that $700,000 project cleared a key hurdle Thursday, Hartland Township and Hartland School District officials are in talks on building a park with a regulation-size baseball field near the .

The two efforts come after with the Michigan State Youth Soccer Association on the M-59 property fell through last year when the group couldn't secure financing.

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At the same time, the schools pursued but recently decided to back away plans for building multiple fields off a Clyde Road property to avoid duplicating the township's effort on M-59.

Supervisor Bill Fountain said the plans are a true community collaboration that wouldn't be possible without community sports groups, such as the Hartland Area Youth Athletic Association, pledging to maintain the parks.

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Each project will help make Hartland more attractive to families, he said.

"It's a win for this community," Fountain said.

The Hartland Township Planning Commisison voted 6-0 to approve the M-59 project Thursday, sending plans to the Township Board for approval next week. If approved, which is expected, officials hope to have construction bids back quickly in order to start seeding by May.

Six football/lacrosse fields and four soccer fields would make up the park that would be seeded this year so the fields would be ready to open in 2013, said Township Planner Mardy Stirling during Thursday's meeing. The plans include a gravel road and parking for 185 cars. An additional 100 cars could be built later as well as a pavilion, play structure and storage area, she said.

Cameron Fritts, a Hartland High School senior who has played on the football and lacrosse teams and attended the meeting, said the new fields will help ease congestion on the community's youth sports programs. Currently, leagues often have teams in the same league on separate fields across the area.

"It'll be very beneficial for the community," said Fritts, who played youth sports. "It would be nice to have every team of the grade level in one spot."

While the new park helps out soccer, football and lacrosse needs, the plans on space for a regulation-size baseball diamond on more than 80 acres of township land off Dunham and Clark roads aren't as far along but both township and school district officials are optimistic.

Superintendent Janet Sifferman said it makes sense because if both the Clyde Road project — which planned multiple fields — and the M-59 project had been built it would have been duplicative.

"Obviously, HAYAA can't commit with helping out with both," Sifferman said.

"It makes more sense to keep it down on the township's M-59 area because we don't have a building on Clyde Road and there was a lot of infratructure things we would have had to do."

The new concept also scales back district costs, which might free up remaining bond money to upgrade existing fields or address other infrastructure needs, Sifferman said.

If there are no snags, township and school officials hope to get the diamond approved by summer.

"It's going to be an exciting year for us," Fountain said.


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