William H. Haithco Recreation Area (also referred to as Haithco Park) is a 76acre public park in Saginaw Charter Township, Michigan maintained by the Saginaw County Parks and Recreation Commission.HistoryIt was a "borrow pit" for fill dirt for the I-675 construction and "dumping ground for trash" after the construction was completed. While borrow pits are usually clay in nature, the site's man-made lake was actually spring fed. It became property of Saginaw Township after the I-675 construction was completed. Discussions on acquiring the land for the county began in the summer of 1986 and an arrangement was made in October 1986. Saginaw County Parks and Recreation acquired the 39-acre parcel north of the lake, which had been assessed at 330000 by a group of South Haven, Michigan attorneys and businessmen. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources provided 75% of the purchase cost, and the Saginaw County Government, Wickets Foundation, and William H. Haithco Sr. provided the additional 25%. The property was acquired for development as a park in December 1986.The Saginaw Valley Rotary Club donated 8500 in June 1990 to pay for the construction of two pavilions.The park was named for founder of the Saginaw County Parks and Recreation Commission, William H. Haithco Sr. in 1991. The lake was named for Haithco in May 1991. Haithco played an instrumental role in the development of the park.
