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Nobody said it would be easy
New parks administrator reports on progress in township
Since being appointed as the
Sumpter
Township
Parks
Administrator, I have enjoyed the
progress and work that is happening
in our parks.
I hesitated to accept the position
created with the loss of Alan Bates,
our former administrator, knowing
that his death left enormous shoes to
fill in our township. I decided to take
on the responsibility and pledged to
domy very best to carry on Alan's lega-
cy of success.
When I looked through thematerial
that Alan had accumulated, it was very
clear that he intended to make
Banotai Park and Graham Park the
best parks around for children and
families in our community. He was also working on improving the
Sumpter Township Fairgrounds and
had received a grant to fund themuch-
needed updates. Alan also had plans
to replace the bleachers there.
When you visit the Fairgrounds for
an event, there is a picture of Alan
Bates in the pavilion that heworked so
diligently to improve.
He prompted my determination to
continue his improvements and I
began to contact various organizations
like the DNR, Michigan Parks &
Recreation Association and Wayne
County Parks Division. The organiza-
tions provided an avalanche of infor-
mation and material and to my sur-
prise, we received a letter from the
office of Al Haidous, Wayne County
Commissioner of the 13th District.
Holly Swinson and Sharon Pokerwinski
