October 2004 Update Part 1
Oakland Equestrian Coalition Accomplishments
Since February 19, 2003 Original Meeting
1. We are a recognized voice for equestrians in Oakland County with an Ad Hoc membership to
the Oakland County Trails Advisory Council (OTAC).
2. Oakland County asked equestrians what they wanted from Oakland County, and with the help
help of Larry Falardeau of Oakland County Planning and Economic Development, we were
able to put together a presentation of our needs. This presentation has been presented to
a. OTAC
b. Oakland County Parks Commissioners
c. Oakland County Parks and Recreation
d. Oakland County Commissioners
e. Oakland County Board of Supervisors
f. Highland Township
g. Rose Township Planning Commission
h. Michigan Horse Council Stallion Expo in March 2004
i. White Lake Township Planning Commission
j. Milford Township to be given September 30, 2004
k. Michigan Horse Council Monthly Meeting, October 5, 2004
We look forward to presenting it to many other townships and trails commissions.
3. We organized a total census for Highland and Rose Townships, and spot census data from
from several other townships. We are still looking for counts from Lyon, Holly, Brandon,
Oxford and Oakland Townships. If you can help, please contact us.
4. Oakland County Parks and Rec has produced an “Equestrian Opportunities in Oakland
County†brochure, which has been placed in Oakland County Parks as well as State Parks
located in Oakland County.
5. After many Oakland County Parks people as well as some from Planning and Economic
Development attended the Michigan Horse Council’s Stallion Expo in March using compli- mentary tickets provided by the Michigan Horse Council, they realized the huge economic enterprise the horse industry in Michigan and Oakland County is. They have now joined forces with the Oakland County 4-H Board to expand Springfield Oaks County Park into a premier, regional Equestrian Center. They gathered data to indicate that 37,000 horses are within a 1.5-hour drive of Springfield Oaks’ new equestrian center. They already have grants and funding for $2 million of the proposed $3 million cost for this. This will be the first equestrian trailhead in Oakland County. They are currently making about 5 miles of equestrian trails in the park and will have them signed very soon.
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6. Oakland County Parks is currently laying out equestrian trails in Addison Oaks County Park
in Addison Township. They will also add some modern equestrian camping sites and will
hopefully connect Addison Oaks to the Polly Ann Trail which was originally planned around
equestrian usage.
7. Oakland County Parks will begin the master planning process for Rose Oaks County Park,
located in Rose Township, at the end of 2004 or the beginning of 2005. Oakland County Parks
is committed to talking to and working with Rose Township to make Rose Oaks an equestrian
park.
8. We are trying to organize trail riders around Holly and Bald Mountain Recreation Areas to
reestablish the historical equestrian presence in these two Oakland County State Recreation
areas.
9. We have established a list serve for disseminating information of importance to Oakland
Equestrians.
10. With the financial donations of generous sponsors, we have established a website that is up
and running. Please check it out at www.oaklandequestrians.org.
We will continue to try and represent all Oakland County Equestrian interests. If we haven’t represented your interests, please contact us and tell us about them.
Merle Richmond,
Coordinator
Oakland Equestrian Coalition
