In South Haven it's tempting to say it's all about the beach. South Haven's five miles of sandy shoreline on Lake Michigan make the city not only the playground of visiting Chicagoans and Detroiters but of water-fun lovers from across the country. For most communities it might be enough to be the place to sit on the pier watching the big boats, the spot to end the day soaking in the sunset of indescribable oranges and purples. But nature's best is just the beginning here. A downtown shopping district offers the eclectic: boutiques, T-shirt shops and a variety of restaurants. The city's four marinas have more than 225 slips some for boats as big as 65 feet and beyond. Bed-and-breakfasts, inns and rental properties abound. There's a blueberry festival complete with pancakes and pie eating contests. There's art in the park on the 4th of July weekend. Summertime is packed, but the city's year-round population of 5,000 will tell you there are four seasons to enjoy in South Haven. Throughout the year, Foundry Hall hosts national, regional and local musicians. The South Haven Center for the Arts offers lessons and exhibits. The Michigan Maritime Museum, home of the tall ship Friends Goodwill, keeps alive the city's nautical past. And for those looking for a home for their business the I-196 Business Park, with 122 available acres, offers room to grow.
We're taking a closer look at people and organizations in cities across the country that are transforming neighborhoods and driving change in urban areas. The second in our series about good urban ideas focuses on how the best city spaces are built from the ground up rather than planned from the top down.
The Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy has 12 properties entrusted to its care. Of those, the Chipman Preserve in Comstock Township draws the most visitors and volunteers. Second Wave's Kathy Jennings reports on what makes this property a place people come back to over and over.
What's Working in Cities is a monthly series in which we take a closer look at people and organizations transforming neighborhoods and driving change in urban areas across the country. What works in Portland, Austin, or Chattanooga will probably work here, too, in some form or another. Let us know what you think.
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