Saline Parks Commission

As part of our Mill Pond Visioning Plan, we want to hear from you!
If you are a user of the ROMP playground or have the potential to be, the Parks Commission would like to hear your thoughts on what aspects of the structure you like or would llike improved. Results from this survey will help the Commssion as it prepares recommendations to the City for the future of the structure.

Please provide your feedback here: https://forms.gle/UeojxawpLVRsUTGw5

Please join us at Mill Pond Park on August 8th at 10:30am for a ribbon cutting event to celebrate the new Saline River Valley Trail.
Bring your self-powered bikes, strollers, or scooters for a parade around the trail loop!

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We are giving our new Saline River Valley Trail the grand opening it deserves next weekend with a ribbon cutting and parade!

So bring your (self-powered) bike, scooter, roller blades, strollers, legs and wheelchairs to Mill Pond Park on Saturday, August 8 at 10:30 a.m. to join us in officially opening the trail!

Last night a group of young park stewards came together at Wilderness Park to clean up the trails after the big storm that rolled through last weekend. In attendance was both Cubscout pack 3464, led by Jeff Gamble, and Boy Scout Troop 446, led by Jeff Gamble and Kranthi Bandaru. The troops moved branches and debris off the trails to make them passable for park visitors. On behalf of the Saline Parks Commission and the City of Saline, we want to thank the troop leaders, scouts and their families for their continued efforts in keeping our local parks safe and enjoyable for all!

New photo monitoring tool to track seasonal changes at Mill Pond Park!

If you’ve recently visited Mill Pond Park to explore the new Saline River Valley Trail, you may have noticed an unassuming wooden post by the bench just south of the dog park. This post is a Chronolog photo station that was purchased by the Parks Commission with funding provided by the Saline CARES grant. The platform features a rigid bracket designed to hold cellphones and allows park visitors to capture photos of a fixed location over time. Chronolog offers an opportunity for park visitors to participate in citizen science by capturing photos over time to monitor changes in water levels, wildlife, and seasonal vegetation. The Chronolog station at Mill Pond Park is set up to capture a view of the shoreline facing North.

How it works: After taking a photo using the mount, the user then uploads their photo using the QR code provided on the photo station. It is then logged as part of a series of photos taken by other photographers and integrated into a timelapse video of the spot. This video can be viewed on our public Chronolog webpage https://chronolog.io/site/SPC101. A link will also be available on the Mill Pond Park webpage.

The library begins its Storytime in the Park series today at 6:30pm at Risdon Park. Stop by with your little one to enjoy the beautiful weather and a good book!

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Our first Story Time in the Parks of the summer is tomorrow!

We hope you'll join us and our friends from the Saline District Library for stories, movement, songs and fun at Risdon Park at 6:30 p.m.

This is a free program for the community to join in, no registration necessary. Just bring your own chair or blanket to sit on.

Don't forget!

Nominations for the 2026 Green Thumb Award are currently open until August 31st.
Please nominate your friends, neighbors, and local businesses or organizations.

Gardens must be within the City of Saline limits and can fit into one of three categories:

Beautification - Residential: Look for use of color, creative design and any type of garden that is eye catching.

Native/Sustainable - Residential: Look for use of plants native to Michigan, plants that benefit pollinators and other wildlife, and/or sustainable garden practices (i.e. no herbicide/pesticide use; incorporation of rain gardens, rain barrels, and other water-saving methods)

Businesses & Organizations

If there is a garden you would like to nominate, please fill out the following nomination form
https://forms.gle/T17LgL6C2RUxdHMR6

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Tomorrow, June 9th at 7pm, join us at Mill Pond Park to do some much needed trail maintenance in the area across the bridge from the parking lot. We will meet at the northern side of the parking lot. While work continues on the Saline River Valley Trail, this is a great opportunity to show other parts of the park some love!

Please wear closed-toe shoes and bring work gloves if you have them.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by Risdon Park yesterday to view the new pollinator garden, paint rocks for the tic-tac-toe board with Saline/Milan Rocks , and get shaved ice from Kona Ice. We would also like to thank Washtenaw County Conservation District , Liv's Native Nursery LLC , and girl scout troop 40193 for sharing information about their resources and projects. It was a beautiful day to be outside and enjoy the park!

Stop by Risdon Park until 3pm and join us for games and Kona Ice!

Don't forget! We are hosting a Risdon Park Celebration Event this Sunday, May 31st, at 1pm. Stop by to see the new, almost in bloom, pollinator garden and enjoy some fun lawn games and rock painting. Kona Ice will also be on-site from 1-2:30!

Interested but unable to attend this weekend? Parks Commission will also be hosting a cleanup at Mill Pond Park on June 9th at 7pm. We will be meeting in the parking lot.