For better or worse, it is unlikely to fight the decision to close Highland Lakes. So, this relatively uncontaminated 155-acre parcel of land – which has been off the tax rolls for nearly one hundred years – looks pretty good to the township government. Limited land means limited development and limited growth. There is a very limited amount of developable land in Waterford these days. In 2025, when Highland Lakes closes, they’ll still send in their $4M (or so), but many fewer township residents will be able to access OCC. Waterford Township residents provided nearly $4M in tax support for Oakland Community College in 2022. Waterford has been losing young adults for the past three decades.Īnd there’s the issue of tax support. It’s inherently dangerous (for Waterford Township) to watch its college-age population leave for school – because most of those who leave in search of university degrees don’t come back. If they have to leave Waterford to go to school, the smarter move is to get a four-year degree. Co-incidentally, I’m sure, 9% of people in Waterford Township live in poverty.Ĭlosing Highland Lakes also makes it harder for residents to justify getting a two-year degree. So, people in most households will be able to take classes virtually. Virtual education isn’t a solution for everyoneĪccording to the US Census Bureau, in 2021, 91% of Waterford Township households had a broadband internet connection. That doesn’t mean that high school students there can’t (or won’t) enroll in online classes, but it certainly complicates things for them. Closing Highland Lakes will make it virtually impossible for high school students in Waterford Township to dual-enroll for in-person classes at OCC. According to US Census Bureau data, about 26% of Waterford Township residents have at least some college coursework, and only 8% have an associate degree.Ĭurrently, OCC has about 800 dual-enrolled students they want to move that number to the thousands. Only 27% of them have a bachelor’s degree. Ninety-one percent of adults living in Waterford Township have a high school diploma. Southfield is nearly 25 miles away, and Royal Oak is nearly 30 miles away. Farmington Hills is nearly 15 miles away. Other options in Farmington Hills, Southfield and Royal Oak are even farther. Highland Lakes is nearly 13 miles away from Auburn Hills, the next closest OCC campus. Closing the campus is going to make it very difficult for students in Waterford Township to get to other OCC campuses. OCC Highland Lakes is in the far southwest corner of Waterford Township.

OCC used the hospital building for classroom space until 2013, when it demolished “Highland Hall.” Prior to serving as a community college, Highland Lakes was the site of the Oakland County Tuberculosis Sanitorium, which opened in 1926. Highland Lakes was one of OCC’s two original campuses. Oakland Community College announced earlier this month that it will close the Highland Lakes campus in 2025. In the coming years, I would expect to see more – not less – of this kind of activity, as community colleges scale back to meet demand. There seems to be a growing trend among community colleges of closing campuses and programs.

Yesterday, I wrote about college closures.

Occ highland lakes