Hartland in Hindsight #3- Connecting to the "Heart" of Hartland
Take a stroll, enjoy an amble, go for a walk. No matter how you say it, living in a walkable community provides residents with both physical and mental health benefits, while also boosting the local economy. With Hartland’s influx of new developments and parks, the Hartland Board of Trustees have implemented a strategic walkability plan, adding not only to the number of sidewalks available to citizens, but also increasing connectivity between key locations.
With nearly 7 miles of trails, Settlers Park has added ample opportunity for outdoor physical activities in Hartland. A starting goal of the walkability plan was to connect more residential areas to this new green space, which also connects to many local businesses.
Over the past few years, the downtown Village of Hartland has added sidewalks to connect local businesses, schools, and the library. In the spring of 2019, the sidewalk along the southern corridor of Hartland Road opened to provide connectivity between the historic heart of Hartland, businesses along M-59, and the trails at Settlers Park.
“Our goal has been to increase walkability by encouraging not just recreational walking, but also destinational walking availability,” explains Public Works Director Bob West. “By connecting our most populated residential areas to the most concentrated areas of commerce, we provide our residents more purpose when heading out to enjoy physical activity, giving them a place to visit and a wider range of space to travel.”
Perhaps the greatest accomplishment of our sidewalk projects was the example of how the Board of Trustees planned, and then set money aside to fund the project after saving for many years. Just as in the case of our newest parks, the funds for this project were budgeted in advance and no increased taxes or millage were requested from residents to see the projects through to completion.
Besides providing our township with recreational and fitness opportunities, sidewalks create connection points that enhance our community. And as we follow through with future phases of the walkability plan, Hartland paves the way for a growing community.
