By David Fleet
Editor
Brandon Twp. — When Fred Waybrant applied for the Brandon Township Parks and Recreation Director opening in 1999 there were 17 applications for the job.
“In addition to sport activities, there was also discussion during the interview about building a township park,” said Waybrant. “I had built baseball and soccer fields over my career. I had capability to help make a township park happen.”
They hired the right man for the job.
For the past 24 years Waybrant’s dedication to the health and sportsmanship of community youth along with the overall development of the Brandon Township Park, he has been selected as the 2023 Citizen of the Year.
“They gave me the opportunity to develop the park,” he said. “We have recreation on one side (of the park) baseball, soccer, football, all sports. The nine acres on the other side is the passive side where the Tree Library is now growing. The mix is just right.”
After years of deliberation on Sept. 7, 2005 the Brandon Township Board approved the purchase of 47 acres then owned by the Vantine Family on the northeast corner of Hadley and Oakwood roads. Waybrandt was provided a blank palette.
“Landscaping was my summer job growing up,” he said. “That’s where I learned about all the plants. I enjoy being creative with all the types of plants such as trees, shrubs and flowers. In the end it’s about creating scenery that will last for generations.”
A Goodrich native, Fred and family moved to northern Michigan when he was seven years old. He graduated from Harbor Springs High School in 1974 then enrolled at Olivet College where he was a football and track standout. His athletic achievements earned a spot in the Harbor Springs High School Hall of Fame, Olivet Athletic Hall of Fame and the State of Michigan Flag Football Administrative Hall of Fame, Waybrant later transferred to Central Michigan University and studied physical education.
After college Waybrant worked in construction for two years and then at 24-years-old started his own statewide landscaping business. In the 1990s, he was employed by the Davison Recreation Department when he was hired by Brandon Township.
“I drew up in pencil a blueprint for the township park and submitted it to the Kellogg Foundation,” he said. “I came in second to Traverse City who won it that year. They had substantial backing for the project. However, I made great contacts and they knew I was sincere.”
The park is exactly what I wanted, he said. The nine acre Tree Library includes more than 200 trees with 75 species and will soon be recognized as an arboretum.
Unique to the township park is the universally accessible sledding hill, to provide an activity some may never have the opportunity to enjoy.
“The park was designed for all walks of life,” he said. “For example two wheelchairs can pass by one another on any of the sidewalks. The sledding hill includes a wider motorized belt to take advantage of winter activities for those with mobility issues.”
Waybrant retired on Sept. 1 and the township dedicated a road at the park “Waybrant Way.”
Over the years Waybrant sought and received grants for the park, including the Land-Water Conservation Fund, DTE Energy Grant, an educational grant for the Tree Library featuring plaques for the vision impaired, Arbor Day grants and funds Oakland County Community Foundation.
Waybrant also helped secure more than $900,000 in in-kind services for work on the park.
“The community was very supportive,” he said. “In addition, the pop bottle drives also topped more than $80,000 over my 24 years. That built the polebarn at the park. You don’t have a millage, you have to do something.”
While the park continued to grow, Waybrant remained focused on physical activities for the youth.
When Waybrant first started with the township, the recreation department was just Brandon Groveland Ortonville or BGO.
“It was baseball, soccer, basketball and wrestling,” he said. “Back then the activities were run by groups. So, in October 1999 the township took it over. The number of activities has since jumped significantly with both indoor and outdoor sports along with some after school activities.”
The name later changed to Brandon Township Parks and Recreation with the addition of the township park. Each year, thousands of youth participate in a variety of sporting activities.
“The more you play the better athlete you become,” he said. “I support travel programs, but my main emphasis is recreation for the kids that can’t play travel. The youth that play in the township programs are all awarded for not being a ‘couch potato.’ The accolades are for not being on the couch at home rather, out in the field making new friends and physically active. We don’t care if they win or lose, we encourage, making new memories. What a difference it makes to these kids, learning pride, sportsmanship, it makes a better person. It was not always about building a park, it was about building values in our area’s youth.”
“I truly feel I am part of the community,” he said. “I’ll never forget it and return for SeptemberFest. It’s hard to leave, I’m just a phone call away. It took a community to build the park. I could not do it alone.”
Fred along with wife Pennie plan to retire in Northern Michigan.