Traverse City Record-Eagle

Garfield Township

Related Photos

  • Jan-Michael Stump

    BOARDMAN RIVER LAND
December 10, 2009

Grant will fund Boardman frontage purchase

1.5 miles along eastern bank will be preserved

BY BRIAN McGILLIVARY

TRAVERSE CITY -- A $1.23 million Michigan trust fund grant will help Garfield Township preserve more than 1.5 miles of frontage along the Boardman River's eastern bank.

The proposed grant award from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund will allow the township to purchase about 62 acres of property and obtain a 1,300-foot easement along the river. The township plans to create a trail to run along the river from South Airport Road to the Traverse Bay Christian School just south of the intersection of Keystone and Hammond roads.

"That area is surrounded by industry and trailer parks, but right at the river the area is very natural and has an excellent feel to it," said township Supervisor Chuck Korn. "We're very excited about it."

The west side of the river is already locked in with public trail easements, and public land from Logan's Landing to the Grand Traverse County Natural Education Reserve at Sabin Pond all the way down to Beitner Road.

The township's goal is to extend its holdings on the east bank through easements or purchases of another 1,500 feet to reach the county's park property on the east side of Sabin Pond and create a trail loop.

Total project cost for township's current acquisition is estimated at over $1.6 million. Korn said the township will use $111,000 it earned from a previous sale of land it owned, funds from its cable franchise fees and donations of two easements by Brown Lumber and Supply Co. and MJM Properties LLC valued at $42,000 to meet its $400,000 local match.

The proposed purchases include: 8 acres from Goodwill Industries for $26,000; 42 acres from the Richard Templeton Trust for $1.26 million; and 9.5 acres from Traverse Bay Christian School for $285,000. Purchases won't be finalized until 2011.

The township also will work with Traverse City to establish trail easements over its leaf recycling facility and another parcel the city owns along the river.

Steve Largent, who's spent over 21 years working on protecting and preserving the Boardman River for the Grand Traverse Conservation District, said the project goes beyond establishing just another hiking trail.

"Communities all across the nation are looking to preserve their river corridors for water quality, wildlife habitat and public access," Largent said. "Once it's gone you can't get it back, and these really are the kind of resources that need to be protected into the future and made available for future generations to enjoy."

Text Only