SPRING LAKE TWP. — Rycenga Park in Spring Lake Township will soon have permanent security cameras installed — a move that aims to enhance safety and protect the park's infrastructure. 

The township board greenlighted a proposal recently from Electro-media for the installation of five security cameras and associated equipment at a cost of $14,992. The expense is included in the 2025-26 Capital Plan budget. The cameras are expected to be installed by the end of July.

Township Manager Gordon Gallagher said that, although the township has used temporary video equipment at the 80-acre park previously, this new system represents a more robust and permanent solution.

Rycenga Park is the township’s largest park. 

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"Spring Lake Township is a great place to live and recreate, and we want to work on transparency and open communication," Gallagher said. "But we also want to make sure we're watching over our infrastructure."

Rycenga Park is a central hub for community activities, featuring soccer fields, baseball diamonds and walking trails. It also hosts the Fruitport High School cross country team's fall meets and is well-known for its shelters used for family gatherings. 

The township is currently developing an asset management plan and future land-use strategies for the park, and there has been interest in adding a bike training track for youths, Gallagher said.

The decision to install permanent cameras wasn’t prompted by any recent incident, Gallagher said, but there has been some vandalism of the restroom facilities in the past.

“We want people to be respectful,” Gallagher said. "To be able to keep track of some video footage of the area allows us to help keep people feel safe and comfortable. It’s their park — it’s a community park."

Background

Rycenga Park is located in both Spring Lake Township and Fruitport Township along Hemlock Road. The park was developed by Spring Lake Township on 40 acres gifted to the township by Louis and Charles Rycenga. The other 40 acres of the park are leased to the township by Fruitport Community Schools.

Although much of the park is located outside the boundaries of Spring Lake Township, it is maintained by the township.

— Heather VanDyke covers northern Ottawa County for the Ottawa News Network. Contact her at newsroom@ottawanewsnetwork.org.