Spicer Group Helps Communities Receive Recreation Grant Funding
Parks and recreation facilities across the state to benefit
In 2019, Spicer Group professionals helped seven communities across Michigan obtain over $2.3 million in recreation grant funding for nine different park projects in Michigan. The grants were funded through three different Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) grant programs: the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (MNRTF), the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), and the Recreation Passport Grant program.
Since 2011, Spicer has written more than 80 successful MDNR grant applications. The following communities have received their funding notices from the state agencies and have begun working on designs for their projects and hope to begin construction in late 2020 or early 2021.
Lake Lansing Park South
Ingham County’s Lake Lansing Park South is located in Haslett. During the summer more than 2,000 people visit the park daily. It has a variety of amenities to offer its visitors, such as concerts, events, pavilions to rent, and educational outreach programs, but the jewel of the park is the access to Lake Lansing. Ingham County was awarded two separate grants in 2019 for improvement projects within the park.
Park Improvements
Ingham County – LWCF – $300,000
This project at Lake Lansing Park South includes paving ADA spaces in the existing gravel main parking lot and drainage improvements around the parking lot with bioswales and native plantings. The project also includes improving the overflow parking area with gravel and paved ADA parking spaces and constructing new accessible pathways to complete a loop trail around the park and to connect park features. The project will also add accessible picnic tables on a concrete pad and benches for seating options at the park.
Bathhouse Replacement
Ingham County – MNRTF – $300,000
This project will provide a new bathhouse and park amenities at Lake Lansing Park South. The park’s current restroom and concession building along with an adjacent shelter will be removed. The new bathhouse will be located to be more convenient to the beach and will house restrooms, changing rooms, concessions, and storage. The project also includes the construction of outdoor showers, new walkways, a new plaza, new picnic tables, interpretive signs, and relocation of the shelter that was removed.
Hawk Island Park
Hawk Island Park is a 100-acre park in the City of Lansing that boasts a 30-acre pond and frontage on the Sycamore Creek. It also has a beach, splash pad, fishing and boating docks, a playground, picnic areas, walking paths, and a tubing hill. Hawk Island is the County’s most popular park with more than 500,000 visitors per year. Ingham County was awarded two separate grants in 2019 for improvement projects within the park.
Boardwalk Replacement
Ingham County – MNRTF – $300,000
Due to unsafe conditions after the 2018 winter season, Ingham County removed the boardwalk on the south end of the pond at Hawk Island Park. The existing boardwalk’s footers were over 20 years old, heaved, and in poor shape. This project will replace the boardwalk with an on-land paved path and three fishing/viewing docks. It will also replace some existing walkways, stripe the 1.5-mile loop trail around the pond, stripe the ADA parking spaces in the south parking lot, provide park amenities such as interpretive signs, benches and trash receptacles, and replace the vegetation along the south pond bank with native plants.
Park Improvements
Ingham County – LWCF – $292,100
The floating dock at the south end of Hawk Island park is over 20 years old. This improvement project will replace the existing floating pedal boat dock and re-grade the existing walkways to provide an accessible slope to the boat dock and launch. A new accessible canoe/kayak launch will be installed, along with two new sun-shade shelters with picnic tables, grills and fencing, new trash/recycling bins, new concrete walks, a bench made out of recycled materials, an interpretive sign, native landscaping to enhance the improvements and striping and signing of the ADA parking spaces in the existing parking lot.
Thomas Township Nature Center Development
Thomas Township – LWCF – $300,000
This project is the first phase in the overall development of the 66-acre Thomas Township Nature Preserve and Nature Center. The project will construct a new entrance drive off M-46 that allows for safe access to the site and the future Nature Center building. Within the site, striping and signage will be added in the parking lot for ADA parking. A concrete pad and screening fence will be constructed for a portable restroom. The existing building, which will eventually be developed into a Nature Center, will be modified to allow for access to the rear of the property. A pathway will also be constructed to connect to an overlook area on the Tittabawassee River with two benches and an interpretive sign.
Lake Michigan Beach Development
City of Frankfort – MNRTF – $210,900
This project will construct a new restroom facility at the Lake Michigan public beach in the City of Frankfort. The new facility will include accessible bathroom facilities with a drinking fountain, water bottle filling station, an outdoor shower and foot wash station, and canoe and kayak storage rack. There will also be new benches, trash and recycling receptacles, and interpretive signage.
Bay Court Park Playground Renovation
Independence Township – LWCF – $200,000
Bay Court Park in Independence Township received a grant to renovate an existing wood playground that has deteriorated. The existing playground was a much-loved community-build project. The renovation is intended to honor the existing layout and is based on the original blueprints of the current structure. The new playground will be a modernized replica, using updated materials, accessibility principles, and safety standards. The playground will have different activities for all age groups and abilities. This project will also replace existing picnic tables and benches and resurface the existing park pathways. New ADA parking spaces adjacent to the playground will also be added to the parking lot.
Barber Memorial Park Improvements
Montrose Township – Recreation Passport – $150,000
Montrose Township’s popular Barber Memorial Park will develop a new outdoor fenced basketball court with four goals and benches. The Township will also add parking for 60 more vehicles, including handicap accessible parking. The expanded parking area will include a rain garden for environmentally-friendly drainage.
Haithco Recreation Area Splash Pad Development
Saginaw County – MNRTF – $300,000
Haithco Recreation Area is a 77-acre popular park in Saginaw County. The park is home to a 40-acre lake with a swimming beach. This project will add a new splash pad near the existing concessions and restroom building in the center of the park. The splash pad will be designed with special areas for different age groups, with specific areas dedicated for younger children to play. The project will also add universally-accessible benches and picnic tables, a rain garden, paved pathways, and 12 new paved ADA parking spaces in the existing gravel parking lot. In addition to receiving a Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grant, the County was also awarded a Saginaw County Community Foundation Grant for this project.
If you would like to learn more about how your community might obtain grant funding for a recreation project, please contact one of our recreation grant specialists:
