West Bloomfield Parks Bond Proposal – Connecting Community
The West Bloomfield Parks and Recreation Commission and Township Board have approved a ballot proposal for the August 2024 election that, if approved by voters, will provide critical support for creating a healthier community through expanded recreation programming for all ages as well as enhanced park amenities.
On August 6, West Bloomfield voters will consider a 20-year, $25 million bond proposal that would be used to build an expanded multigenerational Connect community center on the Civic Center Campus and make needed investments in other parks within the Township.
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Explore answers to our Frequently Asked Questions.
Meeting Our Community’s Needs
West Bloomfield Parks has doubled the number of residents it serves since its inception in 1970, and the community is both growing and aging. Fifty percent of the Township’s population is age 50 or older. Currently, West Bloomfield Parks leases a total of 9,000 square feet off-site for the current Connect as a gathering place for seniors, which is not enough to meet current demand. As the Township’s population continues to age, the need for senior services is expected to increase.
Relocating Connect to the Civic Center Campus will give seniors a permanent, dedicated space as well as allow for expanded programming for all ages in a 33,000-square-foot facility. The larger center would feature a lounge space for seniors, offer a wider variety of recreation programs, expanded nature education offerings, additional meeting spaces and more.
Educational information related to the bond proposal will be added to this page as materials become available.
Bond Proposal Information
The bond proposal was officially announced on April 1 and will go before voters on August 6. If the $25 million bond is approved by voters, it will be assessed for 20 years starting in 2025. A resident whose home has a taxable value of $100,000 will be assessed approximately $35 annually.
Funds would be used to build an expanded multigenerational Connect community center on the Civic Center Campus and make needed park improvements. Read the press release to learn more and be sure to explore answers to frequently asked questions. An overview of the bond proposal is available as an infographic. Click the button below to view both in a new window.
Ballot Language
Shall the Charter Township of West Bloomfield, Oakland County, Michigan, borrow a sum not to
exceed Twenty-Five Million Dollars ($25,000,000), and issue its unlimited tax general obligation
bonds therefore, in one or more series, for the purpose of:
constructing, furnishing, equipping, and renovating Parks and Recreation improvements,
including the parks, playgrounds, community and senior activity center, trail system,
pickleball courts, nature education areas, meeting rooms, administrative spaces, new
pavement, and other capital improvements described in the Parks and Recreation
Commission’s 5-year master plan?
The following is for information purposes only. The estimated millage to be levied in the first
year of levy is .35 mill ($0.35 for each $1,000 of taxable value), and the estimated simple average
annual millage rate required to retire the bonds is 0.35 mill ($0.35 for each $1,000 of taxable
value). The maximum number of years the bonds of any series may be outstanding, excluding any
refunding, is twenty (20).
Your Future Connect
If the bond is approved by voters, an expanded, multigenerational Connect community center will be built on the Civic Center Campus. The new Connect will be a gathering place for all ages and nearly four times as large as the current Recreation Activities Center to meet community demand for programs and services.
The 33,000-square-foot building would feature:
- A dedicated lounge space for seniors to gather and socialize in as well as have opportunities to enjoy the activities they have come to love at the current center.
- Many amenities tailored to the interests of West Bloomfield’s growing population of older adults, such as indoor pickleball, table tennis, a walking track, fitness classes designed for seniors and more.
- A wider variety of recreation programs focused on both the mental and physical wellbeing of participants of all ages.
- More nature education offerings with a new, expanded outdoor natural play area, a large, interactive nature exploration exhibit and more live animals to inspire individuals to appreciate and learn about the natural world.
- More meeting and event space options.
These plans are laid out in a preliminary concept map created by DLZ Corporation. Please note: The final design is subject to change.
Informational Meetings
To learn more about the bond proposal, review concept drawings and ask any questions you might have, please join us for one of our informational sessions we will be hosting this summer. We are offering both an in-person meeting as well as a zoom option. View the flyer below for details.
View Concept Design here
Park Improvements
If approved, the bond also will enable West Bloomfield Parks to make needed investments in other parks within the Township.
These capital improvements would include new playgrounds at Pine Lake Park, Bloomer Park and Marshbank Park, paved walking trail replacements at Marshbank Park and an expanded pickleball complex at Drake Sports Park.
FAQs
What are voters being asked to consider?
West Bloomfield Parks is asking voters to consider a 20-year, $25 million bond proposal that, if approved, would provide critical support for creating a healthier community through expanded recreation programming for all ages as well as enhanced park amenities.
What would the bond pay for?
If the bond is approved by voters, an expanded multigenerational Connect community center would be built on the Civic Center Campus. The new center would feature a wider variety of recreation programs than what’s currently offered as well as expanded nature education opportunities for all ages, a dedicated lounge space for seniors, rentable meeting and event space options, a gymnasium, a walking track and more.
The bond would also enable West Bloomfield Parks to make needed investments in other parks within the Township. These capital improvements would include new playgrounds at Pine Lake Park, Bloomer Park and Marshbank Park, paved walking trail replacements at Marshbank Park and an expanded pickleball complex at Drake Sports Park.
How much would this cost me?
If the bond is approved, a resident whose home has a taxable value of $100,000 will be assessed approximately $35 annually.
Why is the annual assessment amount approximate?
The projected millage rate that would be needed for the proposed bonds is a conservative estimate calculated by the Township’s financial advisor. The actual millage rate will be determined once the bonds have been sold, and the interest rate(s) for the bonds has been fixed.
What is my taxable value?
The taxable value is the value on which property taxes are calculated. The taxable value of your home is listed on your property tax bill, as well as the annual Notice of Assessment that taxpayers receive from West Bloomfield Township.
If the bond passes, when would residents first see it reflected on their taxes?
Residents would see the additional tax on their December 2024 tax statement.
Why does West Bloomfield Parks need more funding?
West Bloomfield Parks is independent of the Township and receives no general fund dollars. It is funded by four operating millages that do not provide enough money for a community center or the other proposed park improvements within the Township.
Our facilities are not meeting current demand – let alone future needs. West Bloomfield Parks has doubled the number of residents it serves since its inception in 1970, and the community is growing and aging. Fifty percent of the Township’s population is age 50 or older. As the Township’s population continues to age, the demand for senior services is expected to increase.
Why aren’t the taxes I currently pay enough?
The four operating millages that fund West Bloomfield Parks are not enough to make needed investments to keep pace with increased resident demand.
What are the plans for the new Connect community center?
The new Connect would be a gathering place for all ages and nearly four times as large as the current facility to help meet community demand for programs and services. The 33,000-square-foot building would be located on the Civic Center Campus and feature:
- A wider variety of recreation programs focused on both the mental and physical wellbeing of participants of all ages.
- A dedicated lounge space for seniors to gather and socialize in as well as have opportunities to enjoy the activities they have come to love at the current center.
- Many amenities tailored to the interests of West Bloomfield’s growing population of older adults, such as indoor pickleball, table tennis, a walking track, fitness classes designed for seniors and more.
- More nature education offerings with a new, expanded outdoor natural play area, a large, interactive nature exploration exhibit and more live animals to inspire individuals to appreciate and learn about the natural world.
- More meeting and event space options and multipurpose rooms.
What would happen to the current Connect?
Currently, West Bloomfield Parks leases 8,400 square feet off-site for Connect as a gathering place for seniors, which is not enough to meet current demand. The center is on a short-term lease set to expire in June of 2026 with the option to extend. Relocating it to the Civic Center Campus would give seniors a permanent, dedicated space as well as allow for expanded programming for all ages with a larger facility.
Why not purchase an existing building instead of building a new one?
West Bloomfield Parks has assessed all available real estate in West Bloomfield and has determined there is currently no available option that would meet the community’s needs.
What are the plans for trail improvements?
The bond would enable West Bloomfield Parks to make paved walking trail replacements at Marshbank Park.
What is the timeline?
If approved, the millage related to the bond would be assessed for 20 years starting in 2024. Work on the new Connect community center would begin in early 2025, with its opening anticipated in late 2026.
Playground replacements would be started in 2025 and be completed by 2030. The order they would be replaced is Bloomer Park, Pine Lake Park and then Marshbank Park. The paved walking trail at Marshbank Park would be replaced in 2025. The expanded pickleball complex would be constructed in 2027.
How would residents be updated on the construction process?
Updates on the construction process would be available on our website, posted to our social media pages and included in our eblasts, seasonal guides and other materials.
What happens if the bond proposal is not approved?
Without new funding, West Bloomfield Parks will be unable to build the expanded multigenerational Connect community center or make needed investments in other parks within the Township.
What is a bond?
A bond is similar to a loan that’s used to finance capital projects and improvements.
If approved by voters, the 20-year bond would be issued by the Township. A resident whose home has a taxable value of $100,000 would be assessed approximately $35 annually. West Bloomfield Parks would collect the millage to make periodic payments on the bond until its maturity date.
Who oversees West Bloomfield Parks?
West Bloomfield Parks is overseen by the West Bloomfield Parks and Recreation Commission, which includes seven publicly elected commissioners. Staff and operations are managed by a commission-appointed director.
Though independent of the Township, West Bloomfield Parks reports to the Township Board regarding its budget and property. In order for the bond proposal to be put on the ballot for voter consideration, it had to be approved by both the Parks and Recreation Commission and the Township Board.