WCPARC Leader and HWPI Board Member Retiring
Coy Vaughn, Director of the Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission (WCPARC) and member of the HWPI Board, will be retiring at the end of June. His leadership, contributions, and commitment over the past 25+ years have made a significant impact on Washtenaw County’s county parks, natural areas, and the B2B Trail. Coy’s interest and passion for parks and trails began in the early 1990’s. He came to WCPARC in 2007 to lead the planning team and eventually became the Director in 2017.
Some of the trail- focused highlights from his career include:
- Connecting the Border to Border Trail to the first of the county’s borders – the Wayne County Border with Van Buren Township – where regional partners and HWPI continue to close the gap with Lower Huron Metropark.
- Expanding the B2B Trail from the original 34-mile trail route to a 54-mile route by extending it further west into Chelsea, and beyond to Pinckney & Waterloo Recreation Areas through Lyndon Township.
- During his tenure as Director, facilitated the expansion of the trail from 26 to 42 miles completed with several more miles reconstructed – with projects touching every jurisdiction of the trail including Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor, the Metroparks, Dexter, and Chelsea.
- Provided leadership during the formation of WCPARC’s non-profit partner, HWPI, which transformed the trajectory of the development of the trail
- Supporting the creation of the Washtenaw County Road and Trails millage that allows essential tax-payer support of the trail
- Continued support for, and expansion of, the Connecting Communities Grant Program, which has led to many significant projects, including: Mill Creek Trail (Dexter), Zeeb Road Pathway (Scio Twp), Matthaei Botanical Gardens Trail (Ann Arbor Twp), the Dixboro Connector (Superior Twp), and the Lohr-Textile-Platt Greenways (Pittsfield Twp).
- Creating two full-time WCPARC project manager positions who are dedicated primarily to the trail’s development
When asked about his career and the impact he has had, Coy said one of the accomplishments he is most proud of is the B2B Trail and being a part of the dynamic HWPI board. Post retirement, he plans on spending his time enjoying the trail, traveling, golfing, and supporting the development of Main Street Park in Chelsea.
Coy’s contributions to WCPARC and HWPI will impact generations. Thank you, Coy, from all of us at WCPARC and HWPI for your commitment to parks, trails, and open space!
