Getting it Done In Stockbridge

Written by 5 Healthy Towns Foundation staff

Over the past five years the communities that make up the Stockbridge Community Schools have been connecting with local and state organizations to make it easier for people in the area to move more, especially outside.

One of the biggest partnerships currently happening in Stockbridge is the support from Ingham County Parks and Recreation Commission’s (ICPRC) Trails and Recreation Millage. The community received more than $800,000 from the county to resurface Lakelands Trail State Park throughout Ingham County and improve the existing trailhead. Stockbridge Area Wellness Coalition (SAWC) provided additional funds to install an adjacent playground.

ICPRC recently granted almost $400,000 to assist in updating Veterans Park. To date, the sand volleyball court, skatepark, and restroom fixtures have been replaced. An outdoor gym, bike facilities, and new benches and picnic tables have been ordered and are ready to be installed in the Spring. The trail connecting Stockbridge Junior/Senior High School to the park will also be installed in 2023. Stockbridge Downtown Development Authority and SAWC also contributed significant funds and assistance to the project.

Improvements to outdoor recreation opportunities have also been made in Unadilla and Waterloo Townships. Unadilla Township worked with SAWC to fund a new playstructure at the park across from Unadilla Township Hall and Senior Center.

In Munith, the local Lions Club and Waterloo Township worked with SAWC at Munith Community Park to install new playground equipment and a bike repair station, restore picnic tables, and clean up the existing shelter. It’s anticipated that more improvements will happen at that site in the next year.

As important to the realization of these updates are the countless volunteer hours Stockbridge area groups have committed to these projects. Volunteers from Munith and Stockbridge Lions Clubs, local government trustees, Stockbridge Area Wellness Coalition, Legacy Land Conservancy, SRSLY Stockbridge, and more have all pitched in to help. They’ve installed playground equipment, painted benches and picnic tables, trimmed trees and picked up garbage. Without their help, so many of these improvements wouldn’t have happened.

Here’s to getting it done in Stockbridge!

Michiganders know how valuable it is to find time outside, breathing in the fresh air and soaking up the sun. We at the Stockbridge branch of CADL want to help you enjoy that time even more!

You are always welcome to come pick out your favorite book, and simply enjoy reading in nature, but why check out just a book? Why not check out a croquet set? Or a one-day Michigan activity pass to explore hundreds of Michigan’s state parks, historic sites, cultural attractions, campgrounds and recreation areas? Or a GoPro to record all your outdoor adventures? Or...well, you get the point...

At the Stockbridge branch all adult CADL card holders are welcome to check out any of these items from Library of Things (LOT) and so much more!

Also, if you stop you might see a few bikes lined up outside. Well guess what? These are available to borrow as well! That’s right, this Spring and running through the end of Summer, any CADL cardholder can borrow a bike for the day.

The bicycles, also called CADL Pedalers, are available for sameday checkout on a first come, first-served basis. Safety kits, including helmets, are available with bike checkout. Visit the CADL Pedalers page for more information, cadl.org/things.

You can go out for a ride on the Lakeland Trail or just pedal around downtown Stockbridge and visit all your favorite shops and restaurants. Once you check out a CADL Pedaler it’s yours to use for the day so it’s up to you to decide where you would enjoy a few hours to explore!

Be sure to give us a call or come by to see when the bikes are available.