State awards Charlevoix $139,500 for park development

Annie Doyle, The Petoskey News-Review
·4 min read
Charlevoix received $139,500 in state funding for pedestrian access along Lake Michigan from Park Avenue.
Charlevoix received $139,500 in state funding for pedestrian access along Lake Michigan from Park Avenue.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recently announced nearly $2 million in Recreation Passport grants will be awarded to 16 communities for projects.

Among the recipients was the city of Charlevoix, which was awarded $139,500 to help fund a "Michigan Beach Upland Renovation and Development."

The primary goal of Charlevoix's project is to maintain and enhance the natural beauty of the area along Michigan beach (in the area from Grant to Antrim streets) while improving access to the water, the views, the picturesque sunsets and the amenities, according to Charlevoix Recreation Director Kent Knorr.

Highlights of the Charlevoix grant project will include:

  • 2,000 feet of improved trail pedestrian connection

  • Handicap accessible parking spaces

  • Overlook location (which will be accessible from the parking lot)

  • Signs to communicate history, natural features and regional information

  • Benches along the trail

  • Rain garden for stormwater management

These amenities will increase pedestrian safety and also serve to divert pedestrian traffic from Park Avenue, which is highly trafficked — especially during the summer months — with mushroom home tours and site-seers, said Knorr.

To complete the project, the city has provided a match of approximately $48,500.

The Recreation Passport grant program started 11 years ago with the goal of boosting visitation and funding for Michigan state parks and created more funding for local, community parks and trails enhancement throughout the state, according to a Monday press release from the governor's office.

“The Recreation Passport gives Michigan residents and visitors access to our state’s unmatched natural resources and outdoor recreation opportunities all year long,” said Whitmer. “Every Recreation Passport purchase provides grant funding that helps communities bring to life the kind of modern, inclusive outdoor spaces that welcome residents of all abilities.”

According to the governor's office, tourism to Michigan parks generates value for surrounding communities, creates jobs, and sustains small businesses. Michigan’s outdoor recreation industry supports billions in state Gross Domestic Product and sustains 126,000 jobs and over $4.7 billion in wages and salaries in the state. On average, every $1 invested in land conservation leads to $4 in economic benefit.

The DNR introduced the Recreation Passport in 2010, replacing the traditional annual motor vehicle permit for state park access with a purchase program tied to the renewal of license plate registrations. Support for the Recreation Passport has steadily grown since the program’s start — more than a third of Michigan registered vehicles now have the Recreation Passport on their license plate tabs — and that means more available funding for grants. With the announcement of this year’s recipients, the Recreation Passport grant program (established by Public Act 35 of 2010) has awarded just over $14.6 million statewide.

Projects recently selected for funding are located within the counties of Arenac, Benzie, Berrien, Charlevoix, Huron, Ingham, Leelanau, Marquette, Montmorency, Sanilac, St. Clair, St. Joseph and Van Buren.

16 cities were awarded state funds for recreation development.
16 cities were awarded state funds for recreation development.

Selected projects were scored and selected from a field of 53 grant applications seeking $5.9 million in local funding. Successful applicants clearly demonstrated projects designed to broaden public access to quality outdoor recreation opportunities, officials said.

“It’s all about getting more people outside, more often, whether you’re going camping for the weekend or enjoying an after-dinner stroll at the neighborhood park,” said DNR Director Dan Eichinger. “Recreation Passport grants make more of these opportunities possible and having such places to safely turn to is proving to be incredibly important during the COVID pandemic.”

Funding for this program is derived from sales of Michigan’s Recreation Passport, required for vehicle entry into Michigan’s 103 state parks, 140 state forest campgrounds, hundreds of miles of state trails, historic sites, hundreds of boating access sites and other outdoor spaces, according to the state. With every sale of a Recreation Passport, 10% goes directly to the grant program.

Approximately 97% of state parks funding for operations and maintenance is generated by user fees and royalty revenues, as reported in the governor's release. This includes:

  • 51% from camping and lodging reservation fees.

  • 26% from Recreation Passport sales.

  • 15% from state-owned, oil, gas and mineral royalty revenues, which feed the Michigan State Parks Endowment Fund.

  • 5% from concessions, shelter reservations, and miscellaneous sources.

Michigan's General Fund tax dollars provide the remaining 3% of state park funding, according to the state document.

For more information, contact the DNR Grants Management Section at (517) 284-7268 or email DNR-Grants@Michigan.gov.

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: State awards Charlevoix $139,500 for park development