Plymouth community members launch grassroots effort to support PARC millage

Thousands of community members and dozens of community organizations have made PARC a destination for a wide range of arts, recreation, and education activities and events. Run by a nonprofit organization, the PARC facility opened three years ago in the 100-year-old former public school building, and 16.5-acre grounds, in the heart of the Plymouth community.

If the PARC proposal receives a majority of votes in both the city and township this November 6, the provision would:

• Transfer the complex to joint City-Township control under the new Plymouth Area Recreation Authority (PARA), with an elected board similar to a library board that would contract with the nonprofit organization to operate the facility
• Add up to 0.75 mills to property taxes in the two communities for 20 years – less than $100 a year for the average property owner
• Renovate PARC’s current facilities and infrastructure for enhanced community use by arts, recreation, and education organizations
• Build a new 800-seat nonprofit performing arts center to serve strong unmet need for such a performance space in the area

An independent study has shown that this strategy would enable the entire PARC facility to operate without any additional taxpayer funds, unlike other southeast Michigan communities’ arts and recreation centers.

If the millage does not pass, the future of the PARC complex is in doubt. The building and this vibrant community resource could be demolished.

A strong start

With a website at www.voteyesforPARC.org, a growing social media following on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and a willingness to take its message to voters in every corner of the City and Township, the Vote Yes for PARC group has already begun to make its mark.

Last week, yard signs with the group’s message began popping up on lawns of PARC supporters, funded by group members and generous donors.

The group has scheduled drop-in public information sessions at the Plymouth District Library for 6:30 to 8:45 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 4, 2:30 to 4:45 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 14, and 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Nov. 3. Members of the public may drop in for a few minutes, or as long as they like, to learn more about what's at stake with the PARC vote.

In addition, the group invites community groups and groups of neighbors to request speakers for informal information sessions in homes or other locations during September and October.

“We’re gratified by the strong response we’ve received so far, as we help voters understand what’s at stake with this vote, and the risk of losing PARC entirely if the proposal is voted down,” says Dr. Ann LaFond, a Plymouth township resident and physician who helped found the group. “But work still needs to be done between now and November to ensure a healthy future for PARC, and the preservation of a 100-year-old gem at the heart of our community.”

LaFond and her colleagues are educating voters and advocating for “yes” votes on the provision.

Neither the nonprofit organization that operates PARC, nor PARA, can take a stand on the ballot issue, though they can offer education and information about the proposal.

“It’s critical that those of us who recognize the value that PARC adds to our community make our voices heard,” says Brooke Detgen, a City of Plymouth resident and community organizer who is also part of Vote Yes for PARC. “We need volunteers to support our awareness campaign: from handing out flyers; to hosting information sessions for their neighbors; to donating funds.” Learn more about what you can do to help the campaign

The Vote Yes for PARC Campaign is abiding by all requirements of state and federal campaign finance statutes, under the supervision of former Plymouth-Canton Community Schools board member Sheila Paton.

Preserving the past, creating the future

The group’s slogan is “Preserve the Past - Create the Future,” a nod to the two key aspects of the plan for the PARC property.

Some members of the group found their motivation in the opportunity to preserve a historic building and surrounding grounds, which have been used by the Plymouth community since the original Plymouth School House was built there in 1840. The current 150,000-square-foot building, originally built in 1918 with several later additions, was used as Plymouth High School until 1970 and as Central Middle School until mid-2015.

Others in the group are driven by the opportunity to continue and expand the arts, recreation, and education opportunities, which are coordinated by the PARC organization and by a wide range of organizations that rent space temporarily or on an ongoing basis inside the building.

“My daughter’s generation of Plymouth kids has come to see PARC not as a school, but as the place they can go for swimming, dancing, making music, acting, doing sports, cooking, creating art, enjoying performances and much more,” says Kara Gavin, a local mother and science writer. “We can’t lose this once-in-a-lifetime chance to ensure this space endures for them, and for all of us, for generations to come.”

For more information or to get involved or donate:

www.voteyesforparc.org

Facebook: http://fb.me/voteyesforparc

Twitter: @voteyesforPARC

Instagram: @voteyesforparc

Email: voteyesforparc@gmail.com