for May, said Brevort Township Supervisor Ed Serwach.

The Mackinac County Sportsmen’s Off-Road Vehicle Association (MCSORVA) approached the township board at its regular meeting Wednesday, February 7, and requested approval to use the long-dormant fairgrounds on Brevort Lake Road, once the site of the Mackinac County Fair. The Association wants to host two mud runs, one on May 20 and another on July 22. The prospective events would take place between noon and 6 p.m.

Association members Steve DuFresne and Lee Kanitz explained that a mud run is a timed event in which a 30-foot-wide, 200-foot-long pit is filled with mud for the purpose of having trucks and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) plow through, providing an opportunity for enthusiasts to test the wherewithal of their vehicles in a jovial display of splashing mud and revving engines.

There will be different designations based on tire size and vehicle size, said Mr. Kanitz.

A mud run would be a good way to encourage use of the property, they said, and they promised the association would clean up the mess at the end of the day.

“The mud run will probably bring in 300 to 500 spectators and about 150 entries,” Mr. Kanitz predicted.

Mr. Serwach said the township would need to be covered for liability and said the association would have to provide insurance and write a formal program detailing the hours of the event and the approximate number of participants. The board said the association will need to present insurance documentation to the township’s insurance agent before the board will formally consider the mud run. The insurance plan must include set-up and tear-down.

“These are the times people get hurt,” Mr. Serwach noted.

The MCSORVA representatives said they have obtained several insurance quotes and assurances that the coverage would be adequate.

“If the organization presents the necessary plan and insurance, and they are agreeable to the board, we will probably offer them one mud run on a probationary basis,” Mr. Serwach said.

“If it works out, we will allow the July run, also, however, we are not issuing a blanket permit.”

According to MCSORVA member Boyd Bigger, members have measured the area necessary for the mud run and determined that it would not encroach on the baseball diamond.

Mr. DuFresne and Mr. Kanitz said they would request the loan of bleachers from the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, and they asked for assistance from the Brevort Township Fire Department.

Fire Chief Mark Peterson said he was all for the mud run, and Assistant Fire Chief Wayne Peterson agreed.

“Anything for the township,” he said.

The prospective mud runs are strategically planned to take place between others in Dafter, Canada, and downstate Michigan.

“We want ours to be the first of the season in northern Michigan,” Mr. Kanitz said.

Mr. DuFresne and Mr. Kanitz emphasized that the event will not require electricity, but they would need township approval to make a significant amount of noise.

They also emphasized that the association is 100 members strong, so there will be no shortage of volunteers to organize and manage the event.

Art Huskey and Sons Excavating offered equipment to dig the pit, and the association is eager to line up sponsors for the event.

The fairgrounds are adjacent to Zion Lutheran Church of Allenville, but no one at the meeting anticipated a problem there because the mud run will be held Saturday and be over by 6 p.m.

Eventually, the association representatives suggested, the site could be used for snowmobile events, tractor pulls, horse pulls, civic events, and possibly even another fair.

Mr. Serwach encouraged local involvement and was pleased that the association requested the help of the fire department.

The township board agreed to schedule a special meeting once the insurance papers and event plan are completed. That way, the association will not have to wait until the March township meeting.