The Saginaw County Parks and Recreation Commission was formed in 1969. The Commission currently manages six regional parks including the Saginaw Valley Rail Trail.
The first park acquired by the Commission was Imerman Memorial park, a 96 acre facility,  located at 3495 Midland Road. Imerman Memorial Park resided on property that was originally part of a land grant given by President Jackson in 1835 to Andrew Ure, a Scotland native who came to the Saginaw Valley in 1883. In 1955, the Saginaw Junior Chamber of Commerce  (Jaycees) raised $15,000 to purchase 85 Acres of Andrew Ure's farm. The amount raised for the purchase, included a $10,000  donation by friends and relatives to be given by Dr. Lewis Imerman as a memorial  to his brother, Elliot, who died in 1949 at the age of 38. Elliot Imerman  was a very conscientious citizen, active Democrat, lawyer, Circuit Court Commissioner, member of the military during World War II, Commander of American Legion Post #22, and President  of the Saginaw Jaycees. In 1956, the Saginaw Jaycees deeded approximately 90 acres of property to Saginaw County  for the development of Imerman Memorial Park. In 1970, the Commission undertook the development of Imerman Memorial Park. The majority of development in the park  began after 1973, which  included a self guiding nature trail, parking lots, pavilions, basketball and tennis courts, baseball diamond, sand volleyball courts, bathroom facilities, a  children's play area and a boat launch with access to the  Tittabawassee River.

The Commission acquired Veteran's Memorial Park, Located on M-13  between Saginaw and Bay City, from the Michigan Department  of State Highways and Transportation in 1974, Veteran's Memorial Park is the  second of six County parks. It is a 35 acre parkway stretching over  1.5 miles along the Saginaw river in Zilwaukee Township. The park is popular  with both anglers and boaters.  A boat launch completed in 1982 provides an important  boating access point midway between Saginaw and Bay City. The site once also accommodated a Historic Log  Cabin  which  was built  in the 1930's by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC).

In 1940, James C. Price wrote a letter to Michigan State University, Stating he wanted to deed land to the MSU Board of Agriculture.   

"…. To assure it's continued use to the public for public purposes as a  memorial to
          my (Price) family."     

MSU accepted the land and its Forestry Department used it for field studies and experiments. In 1971, the forest department at MSU announced its intent to sell the property to an agency which could better accommodate its evolving use as a park since many community groups were using Price for camping, picnicking, ect. And these uses were antagonistic to research and experiments           conducted by the forestry department. In 1979, the Price Memorial Forest officially became part  of the Saginaw County Parks System. Price Nature Center, a 186 acre natural area located at 6685 Sheridan ,  was opened to the public in 1981. Facilities at the park include" a picnic area with pavilion, children's play area, group camp ground, restrooms and 3.5 miles of hiking trails.
The  following inscription is found on a bronze plaque at the main entrance to Ringwood Forest, located on Ring Road, two miles southwest of St. Charles:

       "This land, originally part of the great pine forest of Michigan , was lumbered in 1862 by Eleaser J. Ring. Here one of the earliest forest plantations in the state was established in 1883, by his son, William Lee Ring, in whose memory his brother, Clark L. Ring, presented the tract to the University  of Michigan in 1930 to be  used henceforth for Instruction, demonstration and research in forestry."

After receiving the land in 1930, the University of Michigan began managing the forest resources of the site. Ringwood served the University as an experimental forest management area.  The entire site is divided into 24 separate lots, each  with different tree species or planting date. University records include separate histories for each of the plots detailing planting dates, thinning, and past cutting dates. Some portions of the original  plantings of 1883 still remain. Because of the historical significance of being among the nation's first plantations, it was decided that these areas should be preserved and displayed to the public. In 1983,  a 30 year lease was executed between the University of Michigan and the Saginaw County Parks and Recreation Commission and the park officially opened to the public June 1987. Facilities at the 160 acre park include 3.5 miles of trails for hiking and cross-country skiing, educational displays, a canoe launch  which accesses the Bad River, and a children's play area. The park includes a picnic pavilion donated by Brant Township in honor of a board member, Ed Federspiel.
The Commission acquired S-H Lake, originally a borrow pit created during the construction  of  I-675, in 1987. The park was named the William H. Haithco Recreation Area in honor of  his 30 year commitment with the Commission. It is located at 2121 Schust. In 1988, the Michigan Wildlife Habitat  Foundation and Michigan Department of Natural Recourses established a quality fishery in Haithco Lake with species including northern pike, sunfish, large and small mouth bass, perch and bluegill. This 76 acre park opened in May, 1991. Currently the facility include a 40 acre man-made lake, life guarded swimming beach, fishing piers, five pavilions, children's play area volleyball courts, paddleboat, rowboat and canoe rental, food concession and sailboard beach.