Grand Traverse park among projects to be taken on by DNR

A park in Traverse City will be the recipient of funding from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, one of seven parks statewide to be chosen for 2011 grant awards.

"This year's grant recipients will build and renovate a broad range of public recreation facilities, everything from pavilions, bathrooms and baseball fields to boardwalks, fishing platforms and a community pool," says Steve DeBrabander, DNR Grants Management section supervisor.

Clinch Park in Traverse City will receive $100,000 from the DNR's Land and Water Conservation Fund. That amount also will have to be matched by the city or other local funding for a total of $200,000. It will go toward bathhouse and restroom development at the park, which has been the site of several grant-funded improvements in recent years as part of a lakeshore cleanup and development push from the city. Improvements are planned to include changing facilities, toilets, drinking fountains, an outdoor shower and foot-washing station

The grant program actually is supported by federal gas and oil development funding, and administered in Michigan by the DNR. Its purpose is to help cities, counties and townships provide better outdoor recreation opportunities for the public and their residents. Across the seven projects, $550,000 will go toward that goal.

"Improvements like these will help local communities meet the recreation needs of their residents and keep people going outdoors," DeBrabander says. "The DNR is committed to working with local officials over the long term to ensure these projects become successful, valuable community assets."

The other locations receiving grants are Crawford County, Laketown Township in Allegan County, the city of Leslie in Ingham County, Lincoln Township in Berrien County, Plymouth Township in Wayne County, and Richland Township in Saginaw County.
    
Writer: Sam Eggleston
Source Steve DeBrabander, Michigan Department of Natural Resources