Oxford Township’s parks and recreation department has put a new spin on the old adage, “A penny saved is a penny earned.” Thanks to its cost-cutting efforts, a penny saved is a parking lot paved.

Parks and Rec. Director Ron Davis was pleased to report that an asphalt parking lot, as well as concrete sidewalks and curbing, will be installed in Seymour Lake Park using $174,452 that was saved on capital improvements funded by the $2 million bond voters approved in November 2016.

“We’re proud of that,” Davis said.

The new parking lot and sidewalks will serve the parks and rec. administrative offices, community room, senior center and Oxford Community Television (OCTV) station.

Davis said the department “trimmed the fat” out of the bond projects by serving as the general contractor instead of hiring someone to fill that role.

Light poles for the new parking lot won’t cost the department a dime because the Lake Orion McDonald’s donated its old ones when the restaurant was torn down and rebuilt.

“That’s a huge savings right there,” Davis said.

Some of the those light poles will also be used to illuminate the new sledding hill and skating rink at Seymour Lake Park. The hill was donated by the Oxford-based SaraDan Construction company, while the rink was paid for with bond money.

Davis noted McLaren Oakland’s Oxford facility donated two new automated external defibrillators, one for the community room and one for the senior center.

“That’s about a $3,000 savings,” he said.