Parks & Recreation and the Tree Board Update
Spring 2026
Brief
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City Council meets at Noon on Monday May 4th. The agenda is here
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The Parks and Recreation Committee meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 5:30 pm. “The Parks Board advises the City Council on all matters connected with the operation, supervision, improvements and maintenance of the parks within the City and the public facilities thereon, for the enjoyment of all citizens. The Board promotes recreation programs and recommends planning and operating policies for City parks.”
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The Tree Board meets on the third Friday of each month at 8:30 am. “This meeting will be to discuss tree issues/concerns within the city limits of Harbor Springs. The Tree Board is an advisory board who will leverage their expertise to give City Council suggestions/guidance on issues dealing with trees.”
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Spring cleanup window opens and runs through May 31. Residents can set leaves and brush for municipal collection during this period.
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Arbor Fest (May 23) planning is active. Board discussed potential lumberjack-style activities (kids balancing on logs arranged as a maze, old tools like draw knives on display) while noting safety concerns and council approval needs.
What Happened at the Parks Meeting — April 14, 2026
At the April 14 Parks & Recreation meeting, Chair Danny Rotert framed the master plan discussion with a good question: “If this master plan was successful, what should be noticeably different about the parks in 10 years?” He followed that with: “What’s our biggest strength?” and “What are the gaps — what are we missing?” There was one audience member.
Top 6 Goals that emerged from board members’ responses:
1. Branding & Marketing — Multiple members emphasized promoting the parks and recreation department so people know what’s available and how to access it, specifically raised branded identity.
2. Community Events & Programming — Biggest airtime. Ideas included a hot air balloon day, fishing rodeo, special events at the skate park. The consensus was the recreation/programming side is an unmet need.
3. Fundraising & Revenue Systems — Pushed was for a formal donation system (trees, benches, bricks) plus sponsorships and new ways to generate revenue for programming. Board members agreed on fundraising infrastructure and the lack of knowing the costs of maintenance.
4. Better Defined Park Identities — One board member made the point that successful parks (like the skate park) have clear purpose — users know why they’re there. Several parks lack that definition and could do more with existing space.
5. Maintenance & Operational Basics — Natalie focused on practical upkeep — trash, sticks, winter cleanup — and the challenge of losing the parks director. A culture of community ownership was discussed.
6. Expanded Parks & Land — A board member floated the idea of adding another park property, and there was discussion about connecting parks better from schools downtown and making them more accessible and user-friendly.
The top 6 gaps / missing pieces the board members mentioned:
1. Playgrounds / better play equipment — A board member explicitly said “playgrounds” first when asked what was missing.
2. A real funding / revenue model — A board member said they need new ways to collect revenue, fund, and maintain programming, including sponsors and fundraising.
3. More recreation programming — the discussion made clear the parks exist, but the recreation side is underbuilt.
4. More special events — One board member said they need more special events and more ideas for events the city could sponsor.
5. Better everyday maintenance / upkeep — a board member raised trash, sticks, and the fact that Rachel Roon, the former Parks Director, been doing a lot of that work herself. “So amazing, and many thanks”.
6. Stronger use of existing park potential — one member said they are “not filling our potential,” meaning the parks need clearer purpose, more activation, and more use of what’s already there.
This was a good start. But only four board members led the conversation. For a plan that will shape Harbor Springs parks for the next decade, that is too narrow a base.
That’s 4 people, not 4000.
Before the city moves too far into consultant surveys and formal planning, this is the moment to widen participation. Harbor Springs has full-time residents, seasonal homeowners, parents, kids, and longtime property owners who all care deeply about the parks. A resident-first and all Harbor Springs citizens engagement strategy would help the board hear from the people who use, support, and fund these parks year-round.
What Happened at the Tree Board Meeting - April 17, 2026
Eight new street trees approved for 2026 planting. Locations include two hornbeams on State Street (narrow-growing shade trees; two in front of Shay House on Main Street; two on Lake Street near Shay Elementary (to shade sidewalk for school kids); one on Ann Street north of Summit (for traffic calming on wide stretch). Species selected: hornbeam, chosen for salt tolerance, wildlife value, and narrow profile to work around overhead wires.
When someone suggested a Japanese maple as a street tree, it was immediately shot down partly on those grounds: the response was that Japanese maples “are not tolerant to salt” and are “very delicate” and need “a kind of sheltered spot”, which is why they landed on it being better suited as a donated ornamental in a garden bed rather than a street tree.
The hornbeam discussion that followed touched on salt tolerance too. Someone said they “tolerate soul spray” (almost certainly “salt spray” garbled by the transcription), which was one of the reasons it got a thumbs up as a candidate for State Street. That said, the group noted hornbeams aren’t commonly used in landscapes and grow slowly, which were seen as tradeoffs worth accepting.
So salt tolerance from the deicing of the winter streets was a factor in both decisions, ruling out the Japanese maple for street use and nudging the group toward hornbeam, but it wasn’t a deep discussion, more of a quick check-the-box moment in each case.
Donated Japanese maple placement still being worked out. Board liaised with Garden Club and Parks Board. Parks staff suggested possible locations—police station employee entrance or a new bed near the locomotive in the park—but a walking path project connecting the locomotive to the AHA is facing “push back from council” and “may not happen right away.” Garden Club will revisit in early May.
Harbor Springs is a small town, and that is its greatest strength, every resident has real access to the people and meetings that shape it. But access only matters if you use it. The Parks and Recreation Board and the Tree Board are not closed clubs; they are open meetings where decisions get made by whoever shows up. Right now, a handful of dedicated volunteers are doing that work on behalf of everyone else. They are well-intentioned and they are trying hard, but they cannot represent what they have never heard. If you care about your parks, your street trees, your sidewalks, and the character of this town, the most direct thing you can do is walk in the door. Because if you don't, someone else will — and the decisions will get made either way. We hope to see you there.