ITC donates $250,000 to Novi Parks Foundation
Novi-based ITC Holdings Corp. is donating $250,000 to support the development of parks and recreation programs in the city of Novi. Members of the Novi City Council accepted a proposal during Monday’s council meeting to extend ITC’s naming rights for the ITC Community Sports Park through 2018.
The five-year, $50,000 annual pledge will provide the non-profit Novi Parks Foundation with further means to pursue its long-term strategic recreation vision in Novi – to be the first city in Oakland County to build a world class greenway trail system to connect its parks together. “ITC is pleased to support the Novi Parks Foundation with funding for its parks, recreation and trail development,” said Gregory Ioanidis, president of ITC Michigan. “We take pride in being good neighbors in our local communities and especially in the hometown of our corporate headquarters. Excellent park facilities are essential to a vibrant Novi community and we look forward to seeing the foundation achieve its vision.”
The agreement brings ITC’s total 10-year commitment to $750,000 and includes signage for the sports park and the trail head, which will follow the existing ITC transmission corridor, once the trail becomes accessible to the public. “Novi is fortunate to have community partners like ITC that continue to generously support the residents of our city,” Novi Mayor Bob Gatt said. “We are honored and very thankful to have dedicated
friends at ITC.”
Novi Park investments to date include the establishment of the Fuerst Park Gardens and the development of Novi’s Pavilion Shores Park along Walled Lake which opened in August, 2013. Additional potential developments include a sprayground, new playgrounds, lighting, a dog park and installation of sports turf at existing recreational facilities.
Novi parks range from quaint neighborhood green spaces with baseball diamonds and soccer fields to the premier Lakeshore Park that offers a children’s concert series, camps, and 10 miles of wooded trails for walking, biking, running, or skiing. A five-year Community Recreation Plan called for establishing the Novi Parks Foundation, a not-for-profit corporation, to support facilities and programs. The community intends to maximize land for parks and natural areas to provide active recreation opportunities for future generations. For more information, visit the City of Novi's website.