City parks ready for boost in student interest

As students make their way back into town, the Mount Pleasant Parks and Recreation system is preparing for a major boost in attendance.

During the peak seasons of fall and spring, students make up anywhere from 50 to 75 percent of park visitors, said Christopher Bundy, director of Parks and Public Spaces.

He attributes the figure to the weather and the fact that most park activities are free.

“There are a lot of things you can do for low to no cost,” Bundy said. “If you’ve got a low budget, the parks are great recreation for you.”

There are nine city parks in Mount Pleasant. Five of them are connected via the Chippewa River and all of them are connected through a trail system.

Schyler Mars, 9, seeks shelter underneath one of the waterspouts Monday afternoon in Island Park's spray park near downtown Mount Pleasant. Several campers from Mount Pleasant Parks and Recreation Destination Dash utilized the area.

One of the most popular parks among students is Island Park, 331 N. Main St. in downtown.

“Island is big because it’s got a lot of venues,” Bundy said. “(We have) tennis courts, skate parks and more. A lot of kids are used to having that option (a skate park) in their own town.”

One of the only changes to the park system came this summer in the form of a bridge connecting Veits Woods to Chipp-A-Waters Park, 1403 W. High St. The bridge is 125 feet long and eight feet wide.

While thedistance from campus makes it a bit harder for students to get there, two of the Isabella County parks provide a more natural feel.

Deerfield Park, 2425 W. Remus Road, is located seven miles out of town and Meridian Park, 3995 S. Meridian Road, is located five miles from campus. Both parks are bigger, more open and provide more natural options, said Sue Ann Kopmeyer, director of county Parks and Recreation.

“We can say a lot for the people who enjoy mountain biking and hiking,” Kopmeyer said. “They have the opportunity to be in the wilderness.”

Kopmeyer said she did not know how many students come to the two parks because of their size, but Deerfield Park’s new disc golf course has been popular among students. She estimated about 80 percent of golfers are students.

Both Bundy and Kopmeyer stressed how their respective park systems provide very low-cost entertainment for students and non-students alike.

“There’s so many things to do in the parks I don’t know how you couldn’t use the resources,” Bundy said.