Debra Floor of Integrity Real Estate Professionals serves as a Park Board Member for Howard Township Parks, and is also a Director at Large on the Southwestern Michigan Association of REALTORS® (SWMAR) Board. Debra has also served as SWMAR President, Past-President, President Elect, Treasurer, and was voted 2010 REALTOR® of the Year!
Being familiar with the Placemaking Grants through SWMAR, she saw an opportunity to make a difference in Howard Township. Jones Memorial Park, Pepper Martin Park, and Sholtey Park were all in need of funding to increase safety for the community. Debra decided to apply for the Placemaking Grant.
The Southwestern Michigan Association of REALTORS® (SWMAR) takes advantage of the Lighter Quicker Cheaper (LQC) initiative to offer Placemaking Grants to the communities it serves. The initiative taps the talents and ingenuity of local residents, business owners, and governmental officials to make low-cost, incremental changes to the community. These changes provide a solid foundation for change that can have powerful, lasting impact on community development.
“The old playground equipment was outdated and deemed unsafe. All slides at the three parks no longer met current safety standards. Another possible hazard was not having engineered wood fiber mulch around the playground equipment, which would cushion a child’s fall, prevent injuries and ultimately provide a safer play environment,” stated Debra.
The Southwestern Michigan Association of REALTORS® (SWMAR) participates in providing matching funds for Lighter Quicker Cheaper (LQC) Initiatives. As a result of Debbie’s grant application, Howard Township was the recipient of $5,000.00. Through this initiative they were able to provide new playground equipment to all three Howard Township parks. The equipment includes: merry-go-rounds, slides, climbers and much more including engineered wood fiber mulch.
- Jones Memorial Park is open daily from 9am-9pm. The park has tennis courts, basketball courts, baseball diamonds, a soccer field, a sandbox, and playground equipment. There is a pavilion available as well. More information.
- Pepper Martin Park is open daily from 9am-9pm from April through October. The park offers a walking trail, a ball diamond, and a playground. There are two baseball fields and one softball field used by local youth groups at this park. More information.
- Sholtey Park is open from 7am-930pm and offers picnic tables and a playground, dogs are allowed.
Utilizing community parks for family, friends, and pets is a great way to spend a day! We hope that your day is a bit brighter when you visit the great parks in Howard Township.
Together, we are making our community stronger. SWMAR is proud to assist communities we serve with funding that improves underutilized common spaces into a vibrant, bustling, enjoyable spaces, quickly and creatively. We hope that this initiative will transform or enhance spaces in our community and spark social engagement, and perhaps even support other placemaking activities in the future.
Tennis Rackets for Brandywine High School
