The public came out strongly in favor of proposals to acquire land for new waterfront parks, to establish walking and biking trails to connect village recreation areas, and to create dog-friendly parks during the Mackinaw City Planning Commission meeting Thursday, April 10, which focused on the Mackinaw City Parks, Recreation, and Greenways Plan.

Following a public hearing, the plan will be voted on by the village council, probably next month, Village Manager Jeff Lawson told The St. Ignace News.

Owing to invitations issued by the planning commission, and general public interest, the room was packed as Mr. Lawson gave a presentation regarding the latest draft of the recreation plan, which will constitute one chapter in the revised village master plan.

The village has created or enhanced several of the village's 18 recreation areas, which include parks, beaches, nature trails, historical facilities, and exercise facilities. The biggest is a 42.6-acre site donated by Emmet County for Mackinaw Historic Village.

With a total of 135.2 acres of parkland, Mackinaw City's recreation area exceeds the standards for a community of its size, according to the National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA), which suggests a minimum of 6.25 to 10.5 acres of parks per 1,000 people. Mackinaw City exceeds Canada's standards, also, which recommend 20 acres of developed parkland per 1,000 people, Mr. Lawson said.

In 2000, Mackinaw City's census recorded a population of 859.

A challenge to the recreation plan is the influx of summer visitors and workers. At its peak, Mackinaw City hosts more than 10,000 overnight visitors, most of whom focus on shopping and recreation on the east side of the village. Further, more than 500 foreign workers live in the village during the summer.

Mr. Lawson presented the village's

action plan, which lists 10 potential projects, ranging from marketing plans to studying the importance of Dry Dock Lake, owned by Arnold Line Mackinac Island Ferry. The lake collects village rainwater and is a natural wetland.

Owing, in part, to public input and planning commission recommendations, the recreation action plan may change by the time it reaches the council for approval, Mr. Lawson said.

A proposal that received strong public support was to link the village park systems from east to west.

The first step toward that could be solved simply, Mr. Lawson said. A trail owned by the state begins near Shepler's Mackinac Island Ferry parking lot could be connected to a trail that runs to Cadillac Street. Using signs, the village could direct people from the trail system to Cadillac and then to the recreation complex.

The presence of protected wetlands makes it difficult to run a straight line from the trail to the recreation center, which would be a more direct path, Mr. Lawson said.

"It is difficult to convince the state, if you have another route, that it is necessary to go though a wetland," he said.

The second east/west trail link would require some cooperation by property owners.

Alink to a large swath of western village property could be made via Pond Street, or by putting a path on village property behind a new apartment complex to Cadotte Street. To continue the path, the village would require easements from affected property owners.

If obtained, "we can hook up to the Historic Village property," he said.

"If we can accomplish that, we can build a trail system from the main system, which comes right downtown to the trailhead [and complete a walking or biking path] to get all the way out to the Headlands property."

Village resident Sandra Planisek spoke strongly in favor of the project, which she said would be a large achievement for the village and would not be costly.

Dawn Edwards, executive director of the chamber of commerce, also spoke in favor of the plan, which speaks to a village project to create ways for families to engage in low-cost recreation.

Regarding the stated goal in the plan to seek land for additional waterfront parks, Village President Ron Wallin reiterated his views promoting village ownership of more waterfront property.

The recreation plan is admirable, he said, however, the village needs a plan for obtaining the funding to purchase waterfront property, particularly Shepler's property downtown.

"I am 100% in Ron's court," said Alison Cram, a village resident with property on North Huron Avenue that has been in her family since 1925. She encouraged the village to find a way to ensure that waterfront property remains open for public use, a sentiment echoed by Mrs. Planisek and several other members of the public.

"We need to think immediately about maintaining the view, or in five years it will be gone," she told The St. Ignace News.

The majority of Mackinaw City residents would support a fund dedicated to buying waterfront park land, Mrs. Cram believes, and it would be an excellent use of tax money.

"I'm for keeping [the waterfront] open. It is the reason we have come here for years and years," said Tory Willoughby, who now lives parttime in the village with her husband, John. "When I was young, I vacationed here with my parents and then I brought my children here. The [waterfront] view is the destination of tourists, not high-rise hotels or water slides."

"I brought my children for fun and education," she added, noting that learning abut Native American history, watching freighters, flying kites, and outdoor activities are the focus for her family.

Robert Most, chairman of the planning commission, asked the public if they were in favor of creating separate funds for purchasing waterfront property, keeping in mind that it would mean reducing the amount spent on other village projects. Several members of the public said they support the idea.

Aspecial interest group would be in a better position than the village government to market such an initiative, Mrs. Planisek suggested. She noted that the historical society has been able to gather more than $40,000 for its land and building projects in recent years, and ultimately, the society's land and buildings are owned by the village.

Many of the village-owned waterfront areas were derived in the 1980s from street endings, Mr. Lawson said.

Discussion ensued about dog parks. The only area dog owners are allowed to walk their pets is at the village marina, however, residents and summer visitors use other parks to walk their dogs, and dog refuse is a problem, said members of the public and the planning commission.

Walking dogs in other parks is forbidden, but the police department is not enforcing the ban, Mr. Lawson said.

The solution proposed in the park plan is to determine which parks are best for dogs, to provide signs indicating dog-friendly areas, and to install stations with bags for owners to pick up pet waste.

Other ideas discussed at the meeting included marketing campaigns to promote the area's recreation facilities, connecting west side neighborhoods with trails and sidewalks, renovating the northern end of the recreation center, landscaping Campbell Park, providing parking lots at the Historic Village, creating a park at the wind turbine generator viewing area, and studying Dry Dock Lake.

Dry Dock Lake is a natural drainage basin near the Lighthouse Restaurant. Owned by Arnold Line Ferry, it is a primary drain in town and has been for years, Mr. Lawson said. The village has tried to buy it from the owner but has not been able to do so.

"We have talked about having it as a natural viewing area," he said, and suggested the village approach Arnold Line again about an easement or selling the wetland.

Establishing nature walks with signs highlighting local plants and animals that may not be seen in other parks would help the village obtain state grants, Mr. Lawson said, giving as examples areas for bird watching, hawk viewing, quiet, and night-sky areas lacking light pollution.