Bay City, Michigan 48706
Front Page 03/29/2024 01:47 About us
Home Sports Community Arts/Theater Business Schools Downtown
The Scene Local News Fairs/Festivals Health/Fitness Great Lakes KA$H FOR KARAOKE
Issue 1455 March 25, 2012
(Prior Story)   Community ArTicle 8901   (Next Story)

DNR GREEN LIGHT? "Full Speed Ahead on Paraleon:" Chamber President Seward

Study, Draft Report in Final Stages of Development, Says State Agency

March 5, 2014       Leave a Comment
By: Dave Rogers

Printer Friendly Story View

Artist's drawing depicts proposed small kiosk to complement Pareleon Pier.
 

Ahoy, mates! Full speed ahead!

Mike Seward, president of the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, told MyBayCity.com on Tuesday that the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has given the go-ahead on local plans for public access at the Bay City State Recreation Area.

"Now we need to proceed with bringing community groups together, getting grants and finalizing plans," said Mr. Seward after the eye-opener breakfast.

For its part, the DNR today released a statement saying a study is underway and a draft report of the plan is in preparation. (Complete statement below).

State officials initially were hesitant about the local plans, apparently reluctant to yield control of a 6.5 acre plot at the foot of State Park Drive that would allow greater public access.

Surveys by a committee headed by Laura Ogar, Bay County Environmental and Community Development director, have shown the need for visitors to access the bay directly.

The Chamber theme of its 131st annual meeting Thursday, March 27 at the DoubleTree is "Dynamic Visions," especially "develop and improve beaches and waterfront recreational opportunities on the Saginaw Bay, including Paraleon Pier with restaurants and related beach and water-oriented retail and recreational components."

Pre-registration and payment for the meeting is required by March 21 at baycityarea.com or 893-4567.

Seward has called the lack of public access to the bay "an embarrassment" and said the goal should be "universal access for a lifetime."

A pier jutting as long as 1,500 feet into the bay was among ideas explored at a Bay City State Recreation Area planning session last fall.

Spence Brothers Construction, of Saginaw, had a tentative design of an access point of several acres at the foot of State Park Drive with 600 feet on the bay that anyone could drive into, park, view the bay and get close to deep water on the pier.

Buildings would be situated at the site for public use. There is 5,600 feet of shoreline on the bay at the State Park, 1,200 of which is groomed and 4,400 remaining in a natural state. Phragmites cover has been reduced from 74 percent in 2005 to 15 percent in 2010, according to state officials, through DNR permits.

By opening the bay front site, an opportunity would arise to develop the adjacent old Bay City Waterworks buildings, now in private hands but dormant for many years.

The state purchased the land at the site several years ago and a fence now separates the public from the bay. Visitors seeking access now have to purchase a state recreation pass and enter the park a mile or two to the west.

The DNR has released the following statement on the proposed project:

Over the last 8 months, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), in partnership with Bay County, has been undertaking a study of the lakeshore area of Bay City State Recreation Area to identify and prioritize future improvements to the shoreline.

The shared goal of the study is to enhance visitation to the shoreline by offering diverse outdoor recreation opportunities and improved public access to the Saginaw Bay. The study explores avenues by which the park can support the economic vitality of the Bay region, while protecting and preserving the natural and cultural features of the park.

The planning team has identified a number of different strategies to improve the shoreline in response to the public input received and the expertise of the planning team members. The draft report is in the final stages of development and will be available for public review prior to the plan being adopted. The results of the online public survey and the public input workshop held in October, 2013, can be viewed on the project website at http://www.clearzoning.com/clearzoning-clients/bay-city-state-recreation-area.

A press release will be issued when the draft report is available for review.

This project is a collaborative effort between the DNR and Bay County representatives, a partnership that will continue to work together toward implementation of the strategies identified in the plan.

For more information about the lakeshore and beach access study, contact Debbie Jensen, DNR park management plan administrator, at 517-284-6105 (TTY/TDD711 Michigan Relay Center for the hearing impaired). ###

Printer Friendly Story View
Prior Article

February 10, 2020
by: Rachel Reh
Family Winter Fun Fest is BACC Hot Spot for 2/10/2020
Next Article

February 2, 2020
by: Kathy Rupert-Mathews
MOVIE REVIEW: "Just Mercy" ... You Will Shed Tears, or at Least You Should
Agree? or Disagree?


Dave Rogers

Dave Rogers is a former editorial writer for the Bay City Times and a widely read,
respected journalist/writer in and around Bay City.
(Contact Dave Via Email at carraroe@aol.com)

More from Dave Rogers

Send This Story to a Friend!       Letter to the editor       Link to this Story
Printer-Friendly Story View


--- Advertisments ---
     


0200 Nd: 03-25-2024 d 4 cpr 1






12/31/2020 P3v3-0200-Ad.cfm

SPONSORED LINKS



12/31/2020 drop ads P3v3-0200-Ad.cfm


Designed at OJ Advertising, Inc. (V3) (v3) Software by Mid-Michigan Computer Consultants
Bay City, Michigan USA
All Photographs and Content Copyright © 1998 - 2024 by OJA/MMCC. They may be used by permission only.
P3V3-0200 (1) 0   ID:Default   UserID:Default   Type:reader   R:x   PubID:mbC   NewspaperID:1455
  pid:1560   pd:11-18-2012   nd:2024-03-25   ax:2024-03-29   Site:5   ArticleID:8901   MaxA: 999999   MaxAA: 999999
claudebot