State Invests More Than $14M in Area Recreation Areas and Parks

A series of infrastructure and recreation improvement projects totaling more than $14 million are planned or recently completed at local state parks and recreation areas, according to Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) project information.

The projects are part of a historic $273 million investment in Michigan state parks and trails funded through the American Rescue Plan Act and outlined in Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s Building Michigan Together Plan.

MDNR reported all 197 planned projects are either complete or underway, including 142 that have already been finished.

“These funds have allowed the DNR to modernize and enhance the state parks system, and we’re excited for visitors to enjoy these improved amenities in the parks this summer,” said DNR Parks and Recreation Chief Kristen Kosick.

The largest investments are focused on roads, utilities and campground infrastructure at several local state properties.

At Brighton Recreation Area, the state allocated $1.15 million to reconstruct and resurface approximately 14 lane miles of park roads and $1.22 million to replace and modernize the campground electrical system.

At Island Lake Recreation Area, projects include $1.5 million for entrance roads and parking lots at Kent Lake, $550,000 for road reconstruction, $500,000 to improve a contact station and $400,000 to replace sanitary lift stations and pumps.

At Maybury State Park, the state funded $600,000 in engineering work for the Fish Pond Dam and $365,000 for mountain bike trail improvements and reroutes.

At Pinckney Recreation Area, investments include $1.25 million for day-use area roads, $1 million for campground road improvements at Bruin Lake, $1 million to renovate or replace the Bruin Lake north campground toilet and shower building, $500,000 for a new sanitation station, $450,000 for engineering work on the campground garage/workshop and $200,000 to modernize the Silver Lake day-use area concession building.

At Waterloo Recreation Area, projects include $1.4 million to reconstruct and resurface 20 lane miles of park roads, $600,000 in engineering work to repair or replace the Lake Winnewana stormwater outlet pipe, $360,000 to modernize the Eddy Discovery Center, $100,000 to replace the Sugarloaf Campground water distribution system, $65,000 for a new accessible fishing pier at Portage Lake Campground and $60,000 to resurface playgrounds at Sugarloaf and Portage Lake campgrounds.

The projects highlighted here represent only a portion of the state-funded improvements underway across Michigan. A complete list of ARPA-funded state park and recreation area projects, along with their current status, is available at Michigan.gov/StateParksProgress.

Featured photo: The recently renovated Eddy Discovery Center at Waterloo Recreation Area features a modernized atrium, new exhibits, a state-of-the-art HVAC system and other upgrades completed through American Rescue Plan Act funding. Courtesy of MDNR.