The Hillsdale Rotary Club sponsored the development of a new basketball court at Sandy Beach Park as a part of a multi-year project to renovate the recreational facility located near Baw Beese lake.
According to Michelle Loren, director of the Recreation Department, this is only one phase of the project the Rotary Club has undertaken. The club approached the city five years ago in order to find out what they could support in order to benefit the community best, according to Loren.
“These renovations were always on my wish list,” Loren said.
According to Richard Moore, member of the Hillsdale Rotary, they settled on the Sandy Beach endeavor because of the disarray the park was in.
“It just wasn’t taken care of,” Moore said. “Any city in America would want this piece of land, so it’s great for us to get to redevelop it.”
Moore said the Rotary also recognized the importance of having places in the community that everyone has access to.
“Everywhere you go people are talking about how nice it is to have this recreational property,” Moore said. “It benefits everyone in our community.”
Some of the extensive renovations included in the multiple phases of this project have been the construction of sand volleyball courts, bike trails, and a concession stand.
Loren hopes to use these new facilities to host recreational activities for the community, like basketball and volleyball tournaments.
“It would be a great way to put money back into the park and keep it moving,” Loren said.
The Hillsdale Rotary has raised over $300,000 in order to fund the project, according to Moore. The club has held a few fundraiser events, but, according to Moore, the majority of the money has come from individual donations.
“The generosity of this community is incredible,” Moore said. “When you think about it, for people to have pledged that much money, this park must mean a lot to them.”
According to Sharon Bisher, executive director of the Hillsdale County Community Foundation, which serves as a vehicle for donations to the Hillsdale Rotary, it is amazing that people have supported each phase of the project.
“It shows that this project is a community project,” Bisher said. “People love the fact that we are revitalizing the park. We’re just thankful the Rotary has taken this on.”
According to Moore, the final phase in the revitalization of the Sandy Beach park will be to create a new entrance to the park, which he hopes will take place within the next year. Once the project is completed, he believes the benefits will be immediate and long-standing.
“It just adds more life and vibrancy to our community,” Loren said. “And that’s what we need.”
