Onaway Chamber of Commerce
Onaway, located near the Tip of the Mitten, recently received some really big news for such a small community.
The Presque Isle County city – about 45 miles south of the Mackinac Bridge – was among 29 communities across the state to receive a Michigan Spark Grant. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources awarded $24.2 million in grants.
Onaway, a city of about 800 people, received a $749,100 grant. Known as the Sturgeon Capital of Michigan, the city is surrounded by lakes, rivers and forests, and the money will be used to support trailhead improvements, including the addition of new amenities. Construction is set to begin in the spring.
“We are excited to receive this funding and use it to realize our community’s vision to enhance our recreational experience,” Kelli Stockwell, Onaway city manager, said. “I am grateful for everyone’s ideas, input, and effort that got us to this point, and I am confident that these developments will pay huge dividends for our community for generations to come.”
What’s happening: Onaway has received a $749,100 Spark grant to improve outdoor recreation facilities. The city was one of 29 recipients of the Michigan Spark Grant Program, which aims to boost public health, introduce new experiences, build on existing infrastructure, and improve access to recreation. Onaway’s grant was among a total of $24.2 million available in the latest round of funding. Twenty-nine Michigan communities were awarded grants.
About the recreation improvements: The money will help build a pavilion providing shelter for trail users, family restrooms with universal access design, picnic tables, bike loops and trash receptacles. When completed, the pavilion will host the Onaway Farmers Market during the summer. Other improvements include a self-help bike repair station and a drinking fountain.
The project also includes an expanded parking area to accommodate vehicles with trailers hauling snowmobiles.
About the Spark grants: The grant program is a collaborative initiative between the Council of Michigan Foundations (CMF) and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The goal is to expand access to recreation spaces and programs for historically underrepresented and under-resourced communities. The program was established to equitably guide resources to communities and expand access to healthy indoor and outdoor recreation projects where there has been little or no previous parks and recreation investment.
The Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan supported Onaway in this “transformative project, which is set to enhance the quality of life for residents and attract more visitors to the area.” Community foundations were a catalytic component of the Spark program, working alongside local leaders.
“As the regional collaborative lead in Northeast Michigan for the DNR Spark Grant Program, we were able to build relationships with Onaway city leaders and residents, provide important support for community input, and ensure that Spark Grant staff heard the needs and challenges of Onaway,” said Patrick Heraghty, executive director of the Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan. “We are so excited that the city of Onaway received full funding for their fantastic project
More about the grants: The grants are administered by the Council for Michigan Foundations in partnership with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and through the CMF Statewide Equity Fund. Twenty-nine Michigan communities whose economic opportunities and public health were hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic are benefitting from $24.2 million in Michigan Spark Grants. The funding is designed to remove barriers to creating, renovating or redeveloping community-informed public recreation opportunities.
About the Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan: The nonprofit organization, which manages charitable funds to support local causes, serves Alcona, Alpena, Montmorency and Presque Isle counties, CFNEM also is the administrative arm for three affiliate foundations covering a five-county area. Those affiliates include the Iosco County Community Foundation, the North Central Michigan Community Foundation, and the Straits Area Community Foundation. Each affiliate has nonprofits in their communities participating as well.
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