Asylum Lake Preserve Master Plan

Events Calendar

Asylum Lake Nature Preserve (photo from Western Michigan University)

from the Asylum Lake Preserve website

Asylum Lake Preserve is a 274-acre parcel of land that is owned by Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan. The land is used for university research and is preserved as a passive-use recreation area under an agreement between the city of Kalamazoo and WMU. Asylum Lake's preservation was ensured as a condition of the development of the College of Engineering on Parkview Avenue. The Asylum Lake Preserve is located at the corner of Drake Road and Parkview Avenue in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

On the property are two lakes in addition to prairie and forest ecosystems. Currently, about three miles of trail with moderate elevation changes exist, but the Master Plan calls for additional trails, including those for persons with disabilities, and several paved access routes for emergency vehicles. The existing trails are a mixture of natural surface and pavement. There are several observation/fishing platforms along the shore of the larger lake.

As a preserve, the primary goal is to maintain habitat for native plants and wildlife, but quiet recreation is welcome. Dogs must be leashed. A volunteer group supports the preserve.

Currently the plan is in Phase II which involves improvements to the existing trails.

See map of the Master Plan for Asylum Lake
Download the Asylum Lake brochure


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Kalamazoo Residents Speak Out Against Development

Asylum Lake (photo from Western Michigan University)

from a news article at Watershed Voice

Asylum Lake Preserve is owned by Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan. There are 274 acres protected for passive recreation and educational activities through the university.

Recently, the Kalmazoo Planning Commission was presented with a request to rezone an adjacent parcel at the corner of Stadium Drive and Drake Road for commercial use.

This is not the first such request. In 2020 there was a request to rezone from residential to commercial for the purpose of building a car wash. That request was denied.

The current proposed rezoning is consistent with the Kalamazoo Master Plan, however, no specific development plans were presented to the commission.

Residents turned out in force, and the public comment period continued for five hours. Change.org presented a petition with 14,000 signatures to deny the request. The primary concerns were environmental, and causing pressure on the adjacent preserve. One resident stated their case succintly, "“We have roughly 137 car washes in the greater Kalamazoo area and one Asylum Lake."

Commissioners were convinced, and added concerns of their own such as increasing traffic problems at an already busy corner.

The Planning Commission voted 7-0 to deny the rezoning request. The final decision will be made by the City Commission.

Some walking trails exist at Asylum Lake, and a Master Plan is in place to create more. This will be the subject of a future GOTC article.

See Asylum Lake Preserve


These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch