Officials and volunteers using beach grooming equipment work furiously to prepare the Bay City State Recreation Area for Saturday's Meijer Volleyball Tourney and band concert.
(MyBayCity Photo by Dave Rogers.)

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State Park Beach Cleanup Grooms Shore for Big Meijer Volleyball Tourney

All Day Band Concert to Accompany Beach Wellness Volleyball Tournament

June 24, 2009
By: Dave Rogers

County Commissioner Kim Coonan wields landscape rake as volunteers groom water's edge, background, in preparation for beach wellness volleyball on Saturday.
(MyBayCity Photo by Dave Rogers)

County Commissioner Kim Coonan wields landscape rake as volunteers groom water's edge, background, in preparation for beach wellness volleyball on Saturday. Dozens of beach volleyball teams will set and slam for glory as crowds will throng the Bay City State Recreation Area Saturday.

The tourney and all day band fiesta begins at 9 a.m. at the park, promoted by the Beach Wellness group headed by county commissioners Kim Coonan and Ernie Krygier.

"This event is really catching on and teams will be coming from all over to participate," said Mr. Coonan.

Volunteers and committee members have been working all week to prepare the beach and shoreline for the tournament and five band concert sponsored by Meijer.

"We could have up to hundreds on people on hand for the day, depending on the weather," said Commissioner Krieger, wrapping up final details with his committee at the beach on Wednesday.

Commissioner Coonan said: "Yesterday, the beach was being prepared for the volleyball tournament. Ernie worked the beach groomer, Rich Putt from the Road Commission worked the bulldozer provided by Bierlein Environmental. The sand is in great shape.

"At the shore line we moved algae & muck manually from the shore up onto the sand, then it was picked up by the groomer.

"The manual removal will continue until The Duperon prototype is ready to test their designed equipment to filter the near shore.

"We are on schedule for this Saturday's "Meijer Beach Volleyball tournament, with the 5 live bands playing at the park. It will be a great event, for recreation & entertainment."

Swimmers are returning to the state park and boaters are continuing to gather offshore, swim and socialize in the close-in beach area.

Terry Duperon, of Duperon Corp., Saginaw, is preparing to test a new piece of equipment that will gather up beach muck, compress it and pelletize it for use as fertilizer or possibly as a energy-producing material, according to Mr. Coonan.

Such a device could prove invaluable both the the state recreation area's future as a swimming and recreation beach as well as an innovative device for environmental use.

All these possibilities are in the offing because of the work of the beach wellness committee and their efforts to return the Saginaw Bay shoreline to its former attractive glory, said several observers.###