Spring Lake Township seeks grant for waterfront park
Spring Lake Township officials hope to develop a new waterfront park if they receive grant funding to purchase a half-acre property.
SPRING LAKE TWP. — Spring Lake Township officials hope to develop a new waterfront park if they receive grant funding to purchase a half-acre property.
The township has applied for grant funds to buy the residential lot at 15574 Howard St., just north of the Petty’s Bayou Bridge on the southeast corner of Fruitport and Howard roads.
Community Development Director Lukas Hill said the township will not know until December whether the grant will be awarded, putting the land purchase on hold.
The township board submitted the grant application April 1 to the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund following a public engagement meeting in March. Meeting minutes indicate that a majority of residents supported the project.
“We are in touch with the property owners and have a purchase agreement contingent upon getting the grant through the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund,” Hill said.
The grant could cover as much as 70 percent of the acquisition costs – estimated to be around $600,000 to $700,000, Hill said. That amount could change depending on the Department of Natural Resources appraisal, he said.
If the park is developed, potential features include a kayak launch, fishing dock, benches and a small parking lot, Hill said. The overall cost to develop the park is estimated to be around $250,000.
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Established in 1976, the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund provides funding for public land acquisition and outdoor recreation facilities statewide. It is primarily funded through royalties from the lease and sale of state-owned oil, gas and mineral rights and has contributed over $1 billion to projects across Michigan's 83 counties, according to the state's website.
Hill noted that the proposed Petty’s Bayou Waterfront Park is one of several waterfront access opportunities the township is considering.
“We have general plans to always look at new waterfront parks,” he said. “Getting water access to Spring Lake and the Grand River has been a priority in both our Recreation Plan and Master Plan.”
— Heather VanDyke covers northern Ottawa County for the Ottawa News Network. Contact her at newsroom@ottawanewsnetwork.org.
