WB Parks took down the old Recreation Activities Center in May 2026. Its replacement on Walnut Lake Road isn't expected to open until winter 2027/28. In the meantime, most of the township's public fall calendar is happening at one address, Marshbank Park at 2805 Hiller Road. The rest is spread across a senior center, a bowling alley and a school.
One Park, Most of the Season
Marshbank Park covers more than 80 acres along Cass Lake. It has two shelters, a fishing pier, a paved walking path, a nature trail, a canoe and kayak launch, playgrounds, fields and picnic areas. All of that lets it host very different events. The WB Parks Fall 2026 Guide shows how many it has hosted this year.
Since August, the park has held:
- Bees, Butterflies & Blooms on Saturday, Aug. 22, a pollinator festival with monarch tagging, butterfly releases, sweep netting for native pollinators, talks from Bees in the D and a native seed giveaway.
- Camp Out on Friday, Sept. 18, one night of camping in the park with telescope viewing alongside Oakland Astronomy, campfire music, s'mores and fishing. It cost $12 for residents and $17 for nonresidents.
- Fall Fetch Festival on Saturday, Sept. 26, a free dog event with agility shows, a costume contest, pet vendors and food trucks.
Fall Fetch was one of two events the department added for 2026. Parks director Kelly Hyer wrote in the guide that both new events came from "responding to our customer requests." The park those requests landed in is still partway through a three-phase paving program. The director's letter in the fall guide reports that phase two is finished and the walking path has been refreshed.
What's Still Ahead at Marshbank
Three more Marshbank events are on the calendar between now and early November. All are listed in the WB Parks Fall 2026 Guide.
- Community Hayride, Thursday, Oct. 15 at 5 and 6 p.m., and Friday, Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. Each ride is a 20-minute tractor-drawn loop with nature stops. Before the ride, there's cider and a donut from Franklin Cider Mill. Groups can also book a private ride. It covers one 30-minute slot for up to 30 people, with cider, donuts and four blankets, for $135 for residents or $150 for nonresidents.
- Trick-or-Treat Trail, Sunday, Oct. 25, 3 to 5:30 p.m. Kids walk a trail in costume and collect treats from costumed characters and from stations sponsored by local businesses and organizations. A donut, cider, photo stations and a trick-or-treat bag are included. It's recommended for ages 3 to 12 and costs $10 for residents or $15 for nonresidents. You pick a time slot when you register.
- Pumpkin Playoff, Saturday, Nov. 7, 1 to 3 p.m. Bring your leftover Halloween pumpkins and use them in pumpkin games where families compete against each other. It's presented with ITC Holdings and costs $6 for residents or $8 for nonresidents.
The hayride serves donuts from Franklin Cider Mill, and the Pumpkin Playoff asks families to bring the pumpkins they already have. That adds up to three separate event dates at the same lakeshore park in just over three weeks.
The Indoor Events Are Happening in Other Buildings
Once the calendar moves indoors, it also moves away from Marshbank. WB Parks' two cold-weather family events are scheduled at buildings it doesn't use as a rec center.
Mom & Son Carnival Night is new this year. It runs Saturday, Nov. 14, 5 to 7 p.m., at Connect Senior Center, 33230 W. 14 Mile Road. Registration covers a game room with prizes, pizza, cotton candy, balloon art, a bounce house and popcorn. Face painting and caricature portraits cost extra. It's $15 per person for residents and $20 for nonresidents, and kids ages 3 to 12 are welcome. Hyer's letter also invites mother figures and grandmothers.
Bowl with Santa takes place at Wonderland Lanes on Saturday, Dec. 5, 1 to 4 p.m. Registration includes up to three games of bowling, photos with Santa, pizza, a drink and a goody bag. It's $20 for residents and $25 for nonresidents. Family members who aren't bowling can register as spectators for $10. Registration closes Dec. 1. The guide's layout jumbles some of the date and time text, so check the event listing on wbparks.org before you register.
Veterans can also attend the Heroes Appreciation Breakfast on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 9 to 10:30 a.m. It's free for a veteran and one guest, and registration closes Oct. 27.
The Building on Walnut Lake Road
The township's next indoor gathering place is under construction at 4640 Walnut Lake Road, on the Civic Center Campus. The Connect Community Center is planned at about 48,000 square feet. WB Parks describes it as nearly four times larger than the Recreation Activities Center it replaces.
According to WB Parks' Connect Community Center page and its site plan announcement, the building will include:
- a gymnasium and an elevated walking track
- indoor pickleball and table tennis
- a senior lounge and fitness programming
- multipurpose and meeting rooms available to rent
- expanded nature education space and exhibits
- an outdoor classroom, a natural play area and a plaza outside
None of WB Parks' published feature descriptions mention a swimming pool.
The money comes from a 20-year, $25 million bond that voters approved on Aug. 6, 2024. It is repaid through a property tax millage. WB Parks estimates the cost at about $35 a year per $100,000 of taxable home value, and it first appeared on December 2024 tax bills. According to C&G Newspapers, the Parks Commission approved a guaranteed maximum price of $23.7 million at its April 22 meeting. In a separate vote, it set aside $3.5 million from fund balance as a contingency. C&G also covered the groundbreaking ceremony, held on July 15, 2026.
Here is the construction schedule from the fall guide:
- Phase 1, summer 2026: groundbreaking, site prep, foundations
- Phase 2, fall 2026 and winter 2027: building the shell
- Phase 3, spring and summer 2027: exterior finishing and interior build-out
- Phase 4, spring through fall 2027: parking lots, landscaping and the plaza
- Winter 2028: grand opening
By that schedule, the shell goes up this fall, during the same weeks as the hayrides at Marshbank. If it holds, the township will go through all of 2027 before it has a rec center building again.
Pine Lake Park Should Finish First
The bond is paying for more than one building. Another project is planned at Pine Lake Park, where phase one upgrades the playground and walking path. The new playground is designed as a natural playground built with boulders, native plantings and other natural materials. WB Parks says it will be the first playground of its kind in the park system. Engineering is underway, and installation of the playground and path is estimated for spring 2027.
That timeline has the Pine Lake Park playground installed about a year before Connect's planned winter 2028 opening.
A Deadline Before the Pumpkins
WB Parks' community survey for its 2027–2031 Master Plan is open until Oct. 31, 2026. The guide says the survey asks for ideas and input on facility updates and future services. The survey closes six days after the Trick-or-Treat Trail and a week before the Pumpkin Playoff.
The Connect Community Center and the Pine Lake Park playground will change how West Bloomfield's parks get used over the next few years. If you'd like to know how projects like these figure into what your home could sell for, Logan Wert Real Estate Group can walk you through it with local, current numbers. Get Your Home Valuation, and we'll keep you informed as the Walnut Lake Road site moves toward opening.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
