The Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (MNRTF) Board of Trustees on Wednesday recommended to Governor Jennifer M. Granholm that 81 recreation projects and land acquisitions totaling $48.5 million be funded for 2008. The board had considered 159 applications for projects and acquisitions totaling $83.5 million, which were competitively evaluated based on scoring criteria developed by the board.
This is the largest amount the MNRTF board has recommended for grants in the history of the program.
The next step is for Governor Granholm to forward the recommendations to the Legislature for appropriation of the funds from the MNRTF. Typically, this part of the process is completed by the end of the summer following the board's recommendations.
Projects in west Michigan that are on this year's list include:
- City of East Grand Rapids, Reeds Lake Waterfront Park, $490,000. This project includes accessible trails, lake viewing areas, fishing piers, floating boardwalks along 2,225 feet of Reeds Lake, along with parking, historical and environmental interpretation, and habitat protection.
- Bear Creek Township (Emmet County), Jones Landing Park, $487,600. This project includes a boat launch area, roads, parking lot, restroom building, pavilion, viewing deck and beach area.
- City of Wyoming, Oriole Park Site Development, $378,900. This project will redevelop the 12.9 acre Oriole Park to include parking and access improvements, a walking trail, new basketball and tennis courts, children’s playground and splash pad, shade structure, oak habitat and landscaping and interpretative signage.
- DNR, State Park Infrastructure Repairs, $350,000. This project will renovate and repair obsolete and deteriorated infrastructure at various state parks statewide.
- City of Grand Haven, East Grand River Park Improvements, $300,000. This project includes a barrier-free boardwalk with fishing piers along the Grand River, a playground and gazebo.
- City of Portland, Portland Trail Connector Loop, $284,800. This project will develop 3,000 feet of 10-foot wide asphalt trail which would connect two existing trails and complete a loop around the city.
- City of Greenville, Baldwin Lake Beach Improvements, $277,900. This project will incorporate the Fred Meijer Flat River Trail with the Baldwin Lake Beach and provide improvements to the beach facility and parking lot.
- Newaygo County, Sandy Beach Park Improvement, $267,500. The project will include improvements to Sandy Beach Park on Hardy Pond that include paving the entrance and interior road, upgrading 22 campsites to full electrical hookups, add two camping cabins, a courtesy ramp at the boat launch and a day-use picnic shelter with walkway.
- DNR, Inland Fishing Piers in State Parks and Recreation Areas, $250,000. This project will include expanding recreational fishing access to inland lakes by constructing fishing piers at Bald Mountain, Ionia, Rifle River, Waterloo and Yankee Springs state recreation areas.
- DNR, Building Demolition Initiative, $250,000. This project will demolish abandoned, vacant and surplus buildings on DNR properties statewide to reclaim the sites for recreational and resource protection uses.
- Barry County, McKeown Bridge Park Development, $215,300. This project includes fishing/overlook decks, wetland boardwalks, paved walkways, a canoe launch, parking improvements, picnic and restroom facilities and natural plantings.
- City of Niles, Riverfront and Plym Park Trail Development, $170,500. This project will include development of a 1.79 mile extension of an existing trail within Riverfront Park northward to Plym Park and southward to the city limits.
- City of Ludington, Streams Park Breakwall Improvements, $125,300. This project will build an accessible pathway over a new breakwall on Lake Michigan.
- Acme Township (Grand Traverse County), Acme Waterfront Park Acquisition, $3,006,200. This three-phase acquisition involves the purchase of 11.5 acres and 2,000 feet of lake frontage as an addition to Bayside Park, along the east arm of Grand Traverse Bay. Recreational opportunities will include fishing, wildlife viewing, picnicking and swimming.
- Cascade Township (Kent County), Cascade Natural Park Acquisition, $1.2 million. This project will acquire 197 acres of undeveloped land with an unnamed tributary to the Grand River, mature beech and maple forest, and open field and grassland areas. The property contains habitat for the Eastern Box Turtle, a species of special concern in Michigan.
- Village of Elberta, South Elberta Dunes Natural Area Acquisition, $1,158,800. This project will acquire 58 acres with critical dunes and 1,425 feet of Lake Michigan frontage to be used for hiking, surf-fishing, wildlife viewing and cross-country skiing.
- DNR, Mitchell Creek Land Acquisition, $1 million. This project will acquire 28.79 acres of land adjacent to Traverse City State Park and provide recreation and fishing access to Mitchell Creek.
- DNR, Northern Lower Peninsula Eco-Regional Land Consolidation, $1 million. This project will acquire various parcels within the northern lower eco-region of the state that will improve DNR ownership by eliminating in-holdings within state project areas.
- DNR, Grand River Edges Rail-Trail Acquisition, $850,000. This project would acquire .85 miles of inactive railroad corridor along the Grand River in the City of Grand Rapids, which will connect the city to the State Trail Network and over 200 miles of state rail-trail.
- Emmet County, Emmet County/Maple River Acquisition, $675,000. This project will acquire 128 acres and approximately 4,500 feet of undeveloped river frontage along the West Branch of the Maple River.
- Casco Township (Allegan County), Casco Township Nature Preserve Phase II, $668,800. This project will acquire 8.62 acres of property for the township’s nature preserve.
- DNR, Manistee River Deeryard and Bog, $600,000. This project will acquire 280 acres of land in Wexford County surrounded by the Pere Marquette State Forest, including 1,000 feet of Manistee River frontage and 1,000 feet of frontage on a tributary of Fife Lake Creek and a 90-acre bog complex.
- DNR, Southwest Lower Peninsula Eco-Regional Consolidation, $500,000. This project will acquire various properties within the southwest eco-region of the state to improve DNR ownership by eliminating in-holdings within state project areas.
- DNR, Mitchell State Park Bear Marsh Acquisition, $500,000. This project will acquire 293 acres of wetlands/upland wild area that adjoins the north edge of Mitchell State Park in Wexford County.
- Almira Township (Benzie County), Ann Lakefront Park Acquisition, $478,100. This project will acquire 1.65 acres of property, including 175 feet of frontage on Ann Lake for a public park and swimming beach.
- Muskegon County, Meinert County Park Property Acquisition, $428,300. This project will acquire 95.17 acres of critical dunes, woodlands, wetlands and small inland ponds near Lake Michigan and adjacent to Meinert County Park.
- City of Dowagiac, Youth Sports Park Acquisition, $100,000. This project will acquire 17.83 acres, including five existing baseball fields, ADA restrooms/concessions/parking area for use as an active sports field complex.
- Silver Creek Township (Cass County), Silver Creek Area Youth Sports Park, $100,000. This project will acquire 18 acres for development of youth soccer and football facilities, a picnic pavilion, roadway and parking, and a Sister Lakes to Dowagiac bike path.
- City of Petoskey, Skyline Trail Acquisition, $99,000. This project will acquire 65 acres of land to link together over 800 acres of city and State of Michigan lands to provide a route for a new trail section of the national North Country Trail.
- City of Kentwood, North Stanaback Park Acquisition, $85,000. This project will acquire 17.3 acres of natural, wooded and preserved area with ravines adjacent to Stanaback Park.
- St. Joseph County, Cade Lake County Park Expansion, $79,500. This project will purchase 40 acres with 250 feet of frontage on Cade Lake containing woodlands and wetlands contiguous to the existing 52-acre county park for natural resources-based recreation.
- City of Bangor, Veterans Park and Kiwanis Park Additions, $37,800. This project will acquire 4.3 acres to add a trail connecting Veterans Park and Kiwanis Park, and providing scenic viewing opportunities.
See the complete list of 2008 Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Board Recommendations
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid
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