Wind turbines spin at the new state marina in Mackinaw City Monday, May 18. Eight turbines will power up to 80% of the electricity to the docks. Work on the final two phases of construction on the new marina at Mackinaw State Harbor in Mackinaw City is nearing completion. The $15 million project is expected to be finished by July 1, said Tom Paquin, parks and recreation manager for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) field office in Cheboygan.

Remaining work on the marina includes paving around the outside of the harbormaster building and installing the floating docks that will accommodate 129 transient boaters. The marina is being expanded from 104 slips. Electrical lines also must be wired to the floating docks being installed by Floatation Docking Systems of Cedarville.

"Basically what's left is the water work," Mr. Paquin told The St. Ignace News Friday, May 15.

The marina, operated by the DNR, is being expanded to accommodate an anticipated increase in boater traffic to the area. The site has also been designed for use by the community and the broader public in addition to boaters. Its grand opening will coincide with a weekend music festival in July.

Construction equipment sits in front of the new harbormaster building at the state marina in Mackinaw City Monday, May 18. Work on the building is complete, and crews are working to finish paving and landscaping around the building. Work is expected to be completed by July 1. Work on the marina at the old state car ferry dock was completed in four phases. The project began three years ago with the construction of the outer breakwall in phase one, followed by a new boat launch area in phase two. Phase three, constructing the harbormaster building and a parking lot area, and phase four, constructing and installing the floating docks, began last summer. The harbormaster building will include restrooms and showers that use water-saving technology.

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potential fifth phase would be to build infrastructure to accommodate large, deep-water vessels. Although several cruise lines have expressed interest in docking at Mackinaw City in recent years, Mr. Paquin said, there is no set time frame for that phase.

"That's down the road yet," he said. "Its just being looked at now as far as the feasibility to go in there."

The design of the new marina includes several uses of energy saving technology to make it as self-sufficient as possible. Eight 45-foot tall wind turbines were installed and are expected to produce up to 80% of the power to the docks. Solar panels will be used to light the buildings, parking lots, and walkways, as well as provide power to water heaters in the harbormaster building, which is also outfitted with skylights to reduce the amount of artificial light used.

The goal of the renewable energy sources is to save on operating costs, Mr. Paquin said.

"We've recycled everything," he said. "We put in all the energy saving things we could."

The facility meets the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) gold "green building" standard. LEED is a third-party certification program recognized as a benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of "green" buildings.

The improved marina will be a boost to the area, said Debbie Spence at the Mackinaw Area Visitors Bureau.

"As far as boaters go, we should have more places for people to dock," she said. "It will bring more people to Mackinaw City on that aspect."

Marina Grand Opening

To Coincide With Concert

on the Water

A weekend music festival in July will feature a stop of the "Festival of the Americas" tour. The highlight of the festival will be a performance by the American Wind Symphony Orchestra on a barge near the new dock area Saturday, July 18, at 8 p.m., followed by fireworks at dusk. A VIP concert and reception will also be held aboard the orchestra's touring vessel, the Counterpointe II, a floating arts center the group tours on each summer, Friday, July 17, at 8 p.m.

The music festival will also feature a children's concert in Conkling Heritage Park Sunday, July 19, at 3 p.m.

For more information and reserved seating for the concerts, contact the Mackinaw Area Visitors Bureau at (231) 436- 5664.