We serve our mission by delivering an outstanding park experience consisting of beautiful facilities and well-maintained and accessible infrastructure. Following is a summary of current, planned, and completed projects to help us serve our residents.
Current projects
Civic Center Park Ballfield Outdoor Restroom Renovation - Fall 2023
Reconfigure interior layout
Replace fixtures and partitions
Increase lighting
Evaluate all exterior park signage and design new signage for replacement - Fall 2023
Corbin Design has been hired to conduct a complete site evaluation, develop a signage plan, create concepts and text for new signs
Following step will be to take the design work to bid for production and installation
Civic Center Park Seating Plaza Renovation - Spring 2024
Replace wooden benches (completed Spring 2023)
Replace concrete and pavers (late 2023 or 2024)
Develop 2024-2028 Five Year Recreation Plan-2023
Park Departments throughout the State of Michigan are required to file a Five Year Recreation Plan with the MDNR to be eligible for state-sponsored grants
The plan provides a complete description of the community, administrative structure recreation asset inventory, needs assessment, and goals and objectives for the five-year period
Extensive public input is gathered during the process through surveys and public input sessions
Civic Center dugout replacement - Spring 2024
Replace dugouts on fields 2 and 3 with universally accessible structures and new concreate pads and walkways
Future projects
Upgrade the restroom facilities at Medalie Park - 2024
Replace all fixtures, partitions, countertops, and toilets
Add exterior security cameras
Improve the plumbing inside the Civic Center serving the locker rooms and restrooms - 2024
Replace end-of-life fixtures, partitions and toilets
Improve internal plumbing to improve drainage
Pave parking lot near Civic Center amphitheater-Fall 2024
Replace gravel surface with asphalt
Replace adjacent driveway to increase life span
Replacement of the Civic Center walking track - 2024
Replace the walking track surface with new asphalt, remove the existing end-of-life pedestrian bridge, and identify and properly sign an ADA accessible route.
Add seven fitness stations along the walking track - 2024
Include 7 outdoor fitness stations for all abilities along the walking track
Upgrade the restrooms at the south end of Civic Center Park-2024
Replace all fixtures, partitions, countertops and toilets
Repair drain pipes to improve drainage
Boardwalk replacement at Natural Education Reserve-Winter/Spring 2024
Project underway by Grand Traverse Conservation District
Replacement of the Boy Scout Boardwalk and other walkway projects
Removal and rerouting of a trail in a flooded area
Recently completed projects
Bridge construction at Natural Education Reserve-Winter/Spring 2023
Project underway by Grand Traverse Conservation District
Construct small bridges and trail connecting the existing trails to the Great Lakes Incubator Farm
Replace the existing dog waste bag dispensers in all parks - Spring 2023
New dispensers with higher bag capacity
Consistent dispensers and bags across all properties to reduce cost and complexity
Civic Rec implementation - January 2023
Civic Rec reservation and registration software will revolutionize the way we interact with guests, making it easier for you to place a reservation and easier for our team to work with you.
Website redevelopment - January 2023
Redesigning the layout of the Parks and Recreation pages on our site to make it easier to find the information you need.
Increase the content to help you get to know us better and allow us to report on park activities, performance, and more
Replacement of HVAC unit at Civic Center-December 2022
Replacing the unit that serves the lobby and arena
Removed asphalt from Maple Bay beach-October 2022
Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy staff and volunteers removed 5+ tons of asphalt from a former pier that had washed up on the beach. Additional removal of remaining asphalt will occur in Fall 2023.
Invasive vegetation removal and shoreline cleanup at Medalie Park-September 2022
Removed invasive species throughout the interior and perimiter of the property
Cleaned invasive and non-invasive vegetation from the shoreline to improve sightlines while retaining necessary vegetation for shoreline stabilization
Added second entrance/exit road to Keystone Soccer Complex-September 2022
TBAYS added a second road to enter and exit the property from Birmley Road, improving safety and guest satisfaction
Completed the Boardman Lake Loop Trail with Medalie Park as the South trailhead-July 2022
Cooperative project with TART Trails, Grand Traverse County, and the City of Traverse City, along with numerous community organizations
Two bridges were installed at the East and west sides of Medalie Park
New pathway constructed through the park connecting the bridges
Expanded Power Island campsites from 10 to 15-May 2022
Obtained permit from EGLE to reopen five sites on adjacent Basset Island, bringing the total number of sites on the island complex to 15