ADA TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Ada Township leaders are asking voters to approve a new 10-year parks millage that would replace the current one set to expire at the end of 2026.
The proposal would raise the millage rate from 0.65 mill to 1.2 mills and is scheduled to appear on the August ballot. If passed, it is estimated to generate $1.8 million in its first year.
What It Would Cost Homeowners
Ada Township provided a breakdown of what the increase would mean for homeowners at various taxable property values:
- A home with a taxable value of $300,000 would see its annual parks tax rise from $187.95 to $360
- At $500,000, homeowners would pay $600 annually, up from $313.25
- Those with a taxable value of $700,000 would pay $840 per year
- At the $1,000,000 taxable value level, the annual cost would increase from $626.50 to $1,200
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From Private Dollars to Public Upkeep
Ada Director of Parks and Recreation Wesley Deason says the increase reflects the growing cost of maintaining the township's park system — much of which was built through private funding, not millage dollars.
That includes the Roselle Park resources building, Legacy Park and its amphitheater, and Covered Bridge Park, which is currently under construction. Deason says the current millage rate simply was not designed to cover the level of amenities Ada neighbors now enjoy.
"A lot of the features that community members now enjoy could have not been realized under the current millage rate. So this millage rate we feel like is strategic in helping us to maintain our new spaces," Deason said.
He added that over the past four to five years, the township has significantly grown its park offerings — and that sustaining that growth requires a new financial commitment.
"We've worked really, really hard over the past couple of years with these new amenities. And so what we've done over the past four to five years is really increased our program offerings as far as community events and special events," Deason said.
Where the Money Would Go
A significant share of the funding would go toward infrastructure upgrades at Ada Park, one of the township's oldest facilities. Deason says the park has aging infrastructure.
"It's one of our older parks and has aging infrastructure with only seasonal restrooms, and we're just kind of outgrowing that space," Deason said. "The highlight of that project would be a new parks office and joint community use building where families and friends can join together, rent that space, utilize that space."
Beyond physical upgrades, the millage would also support staffing, youth and adult programming, and a growing calendar of community events — including Music on the Lawn, Beers at the Bridge, the community campout at Ada Park, and the annual Daddy Daughter Dance at the Roselle Park resource building.
"Just trying to continue to create a sense of community and provide something for the folks that live here to engage with and get those excellent parks and recreation services," Deason said.
Keeping Neighbors Informed
To help inform neighbors ahead of the August vote, Ada Township has hired local firm Seyferth to lead a public education campaign. Deason says the effort will be funded through the existing parks, recreation and land preservation fund and will focus on detailing exactly how millage dollars would be allocated over the 10-year cycle.
"Their key component, as we work with them here in the coming weeks and months, will be public education, so that everyone is best informed to make a decision that they feel like is best in their interest," Deason said.
What Neighbors Are Saying
Ada neighbor Kristen Covelle says her family uses the parks multiple times a week. Her children run at Ada Park regularly to stay in shape for sports, her husband plays pickleball with groups there, and in the summer, her family attends the Wednesday night concerts at Legacy Park.
Covelle says she also relies on the township's expanding trail system. Her husband now bikes to work in the summer using the trails that connect Ada Park to Roselle Park — a benefit she says extends beyond her family.
"It's better for the environment. It's better for him and his health, and it frees up one more car for my new driver," Covelle said.
She says the millage increase is worth it, pointing to Ada's rapid growth as a reason to protect its green spaces.
"Ada keeps building up. It's like a little city now. We still need to maintain these spaces, which is what brings people to Ada in the first place," Covelle said. "I think it's always important for a community to support the millages. I mean, as we all know, we feel the cost of things going up. The same holds true for the parks and recs department."
Covelle also leads a girl scout troop, which has contributed to the parks in meaningful ways over the years. The troop studied local bat populations and built bat boxes that were installed in the park. Most recently, one of her scouts earned a Silver Award by working with Deason to install a cleat cleaner at Ada Park.
Looking ahead, Covelle says she simply wants Ada's parks to remain what they have always been.
"The future of Ada parks looks like, to me, like it looks now. That's one of the things about nature and the environment is, as you know, places continue to develop these green spaces, they get run out of town, literally. But for here, we show so much community interaction."
What's Next
The millage proposal will appear on the August ballot. Township leaders say the public education campaign led by Seyferth will continue in the weeks and months ahead, giving neighbors more detailed information about the 10-year plan before they head to the polls.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
