Oak Park Woods

Purpose

The purpose of this public engagement was to understand the stakeholders and community members who are already invested in Shepherd Park, to gain insights they might have about the park, and to evaluate what the community would like to see under Oakland County Parks management and through capital improvements. It was also our intention to reach community members who are not currently engaged in the park or who have not historically felt welcomed or invited into parks, to identify barriers to their participation, and address gaps in equitable park access.

Methods

The public engagement methods used include an online survey and three public open houses held in the community. The survey was available online September 13-October 9, 2023. There were 139 unique survey entries, including 119 completed online and 20 on paper. 123 surveys, nearly 90% of survey responses, were from Oak Park.

Three open houses were held in Oak Park with approximately 40 participants. Open house participants had a variety of ways in which to engage and provide input on Shepherd Park. A large park maps allowed opportunities to point out special features, memories or notable locations, and many indicated using the space for family gathering and play. A second board presented participants with the opportunity to identify amenities and features that they felt were the highest priority or best fit. Paper copies of the survey were available at the open houses.

Results

Survey respondents were generally supportive of the partnership between Oakland County Parks and the City of Oak Park to revitalize Shepherd Park. Most respondents (95.7%) have visited Shepherd Park and have enjoyed it. Almost all respondents expressed excitement at the prospect of the park revitalization project.

Both Oak Park respondents and regional respondents value Shepherd Park for its 57-acres of diverse and community-friendly uses. The most important park features for respondents are listed below.

• Paths and walking trails
• Restrooms
• Healthy forest
• Native flowers and pollinators
• Quiet areas and scenic views

Respondents had several opportunities to leave open-ended responses in the survey; over 250 responses were collected from nearly 140 respondents. Open-ended responses gave insight into Shepherd Park over the years, and some primary themes emerged.

• Restroom accessibility, lighting, safety, and cleanliness were mentioned frequently.
• The wooden train outside of the OCP boundary was identified as an important piece of the park’s history that should not be removed.
• Respondents enjoy the walking path and are passionate about the natural beauty of Shepherd Park.
• Oak Park residents are happy to see the park being invested in and excited to enjoy it for many years to come.

Based on the response from both Oak Park residents and park users from a wider area, there is strong support for the future operation of and investment in the park by Oakland County Parks. OCP is grateful to attendees and respondents for their generous participation and understands the importance of keeping the priorities they expressed at the forefront:

• Preserving nature and walking paths.
• Maintaining a clean, safe park with working amenities.
• Provide spaces where everyone is welcome to gather, relax, and play.