Brandon Twp.- The new recreational park at Oakwood and Hadley roads will soon be sprouting new trees, with the help of volunteers.
The township has received three tree grants? a $10,000 grant from the Department of Natural Resources to replace trees killed by the Emerald Ash borer; a community forestry grant for $3,000 to beautify the park; and a $2,000 grant from DTE.
All three grants were matched by the township, most through volunteer work and volunteer materials. Volunteers have been removing dead and diseased trees since Oct. 6 at the park to make way for soccer fields, a parking lot and more at the park located at 1414 Hadley Road.
‘People will be amazed at all the fall color out there from the selection of trees that we’ve chosen,? says Brandon Township Parks and Recreation Director Fred Waybrant.
That selection will include 55 different species of trees and 25 shrubs in the educational tree library; 75 trees funded by the EAB grant, the majority to be planted along the property line and near the soccer fields and 15 trees purchased with money from the DTE grant, to be planted along Hadley Road.
The trees will include large white pines, Cleveland Pear trees, assorted flowering crabs, maples, and more.
Waybrant is seeking volunteers to do shoveling, raking, tree staking and mulching. Planting will take place between April 26-29, with the majority of the work being done April 28.
Bory, Inc., of Ortonville won the tree bid for both the tree library trees and replacement of Emerald Ash Borer diseased trees, and is providing heavy equipment free of charge as well as donating labor. Roberts Tree Farm of Ortonville won the bid for the DTE grant trees.
Ortonville Department of Public Works and the Brandon Fire Department also have employees donating time to the park, and the BFD will also provide their watering truck.
Wojo’s Greenhouse is also providing $5,000 worth of plant material, matching funds from a membership drive for the Build-a-Park Club.
The multi-purpose fields that are scheduled for play this fall will be sodded for the same price as seeding thanks to DeBuck’s Sod Farm out of Davison.
Roger Engels Construction resumes work this week and last week, Waybrant revealed another new plan for the park, pending board approval.
‘We’re putting a skating rink out there,? he said. ‘After seeing spring water flow, we’re going to create a retention pond, about the size of a hockey rink. It won’t be over 24 inches deep and will also be an irrigation pond. It will make a nice skating rink.?
For more information on volunteering at the park or joining the Build-A-Park Club, call (248) 627-4640.