Voters in Waterford Township to Decide on New Community Center

Waterford Township folks are in for an important decision this November. They’ll be voting on a $$$36-million bond. The big plan is to buy a 51-acre slice from the Highland Lakes campus owned by Oakland Community College (OCC). And then, guess what? They want to turn it into a community and recreation center. Both the township’s board of trustees and the college’s board of trustees have given a thumbs-up to this plan since May.

Here’s how it’ll work: the 51-acre part of the campus on Cooley Lake Road will be sold to the township for $2.8 million. But that’s only on the condition that voters approve the bond proposal this fall. For the first year, the millage rate to pay the proposed bonds is estimated to be 0.8492 mills. After that, it’ll drop to around 0.7587 mills. This is all to retire the bond’s debt.

Now, if the bond gets approved, we’re looking at an increase in taxes for the average Waterford home by around $96 a year. And that’s going to last for 20 years.

The township made an unsuccessful attempt to build a new community center back in 2018. The existing rec center is not in its best shape and has worsened since then. An approval on the bond this fall means a possibility for a much-needed new community and recreation center.

The plan for Waterford Township, home to about 39,400 good folks, is to get hold of four buildings – High Oaks Hall and Levinson Hall, which are in use for classes; plus, the physical education building, and the student center. Two of these will be revamped into a recreation center and athletic gymnasium. One will be torn down to make room for parking. What happens to the fourth one is still being figured out.

Just so you know, the entire OCC Highland Lakes campus will be closing its doors in the fall of 2026. OCC plans to move the programs currently on the Highland Lakes campus to another location by the end of 2026.

The new community center will provide spaces for community clubs to meet and hold events. There’ll also be an outdoor space for youth and adult recreation and concerts. And there’s even a plan to connect it to the nearby Hess Hathaway Park. The latter is likely to see an upgrade for its ballfield and a new set of pickleball courts, replacing the old tennis courts.

Author: HERE Novi