HANCOCK COUNTY – An ordinance approved and signed by county commissioners created a parks and recreation board for Hancock County, and final appointments for the board will be made at the county council’s June meeting.
According to the county’s website, the parks and recreation board will have the primary objective of helping provide safe and enjoyable recreational activities for county residents and will identify parklands and oversee the development of new parks and recreational spaces.
Once the ordinance was created and signed on April 30, both the commissioners and council have 90 days to appoint two individuals apiece to the park and recreation board – four board members in total.
Miriam Rolles, administrator for the commissioners, said that by the county also creating the parks and recreation board, they will be able to apply for grant money to match funds for any futures projects.
“We’re dedicated to bring a vision to life around a great, beloved destination for individuals, families and nature enthusiasts,” Rolles said. “We want to create parks for all, and we want to make sure that we’re saving money in the process because we don’t want the taxpayers having to pay if they don’t have to.”
Rolles said she believes the reasoning behind creating a parks and recreation board is to help maintain the quality of life in Hancock County as it continues to grow and provide more green space, trails and parks.
“You’ve got beautiful areas all over the county,” she said. “With all of the influx of new residents and new people populating in, we really need that quality of life for everyone.”
While the parks and recreation board doesn’t have any public meetings scheduled yet, the board will eventually hold public meetings, encouraging public input for future projects.
Alongside the creation of the parks and recreation board, the county highway department has shared their Exploring Hancock County project, which will consist of the initiative to buy land over the next decade to create both large and small parks for recreational use by residents.
In the letter shared on the website, they state that the “initiative will celebrate the natural beauty of Hancock County through thoughtful design, catering to individuals, families and nature enthusiasts who share our commitment to land preservation, conservation, leisure and engaging family activities.”
Four projects still in the early planning stages are Wilderness Urban Nature Park, projected to be open in spring 2026; Regional Park, planned with sports fields, picnicking, community spaces and projected to open in fall of 2028; Linear Park, which plans to offer greenway trails and a canoe/kayak launch site with a scenic pathway along a natural corridor, projected for construction to begin in fall of 2025 with anticipated completion in summer of 2030; and Primitive Camping Park, with camping sites for an unplugged, nature-focused experience, projected for construction to commence in spring of 2026 and open in summer of 2033.
Updates on the park plans will continue as they progress through the initial planning phases, working toward more destinations for individuals, families and nature enthusiasts.
While parks and recreation board appointments won’t be final until the announcement at the June 12 county council meeting, more information on the ordinance and park plans can be found at hancockin.gov.
