SELCRA, the Southeast Livingston County Recreation Authority, is looking at making improvements to the Meijer Skate Park to enhance its offerings while keeping them affordable.

SELCRA Director Michael Powers attended a meeting of Green Oak Township’s Board of Trustees Wednesday to discuss some of the proposed improvements to the park, located adjacent to the Meijer store in Brighton.

Powers says project planners would like to turn green space at the back of the park into a sports field as it would allow the organization to facilitate sports on their own fields with low overhead costs and the opportunity to rent the field during SELCRA’s off-season. Powers says the sports field is also needed because, as proposed in the Brighton Area Schools bond field improvements, is the reconfiguration of baseball and softball fields that SELCRA currently uses at Hawkins Elementary School. He adds the more the organization talks with district officials, the more they’ve found an impact on their ability to provide the same services as a result of the district’s bond improvements.

Speaking to other changes, Powers says the concrete pad at the skate park would stay in existence, but SELCRA wants to add basketball hoops and in-line courts in order to offer more programs there. The organization wants to remove the skate area and level it to be used as overflow parking as well. Also proposed is removing the in-line skate course, then leveling and balancing the area with the green space at the park to make room for the aforementioned sports field.

The total cost of the work is estimated at $130,000, and would be split between the organization’s two participating townships, Green Oak and Brighton, at a cost of $56,000 to each. If all goes according to plan, Powers says SELCRA could break ground on the project in the spring and have it operational by summertime. (DK)