The DeTour Economic Development Corporation is in the process of purchasing this 800-foot waterfront property to develop a public recreation area. Funds from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Trust Fund, totaling $495,000, are being used to purchase the property on Dawson Street two blocks south of the Drummond Island ferry dock area. In today's tough economic turmoil, few new businesses are opening their doors and many areas around Michigan are not seeing much in the way of new development. But that's not stopping the DeTour Economic Development Corporation (EDC) from trying to attract retail, service, and manufacturing businesses to set up shop at one of the eastern-most points of the Upper Peninsula.

In addition to trying to spark DeTour's economy through new businesses, the group is also developing a public waterfront recreation area in the heart of DeTour for the enjoyment of current residents and the residents it hopes to attract with the DeTour Business Park. The village has a population of around 400 people. It's situated at the turning point that connects Lake Huron and the St. Marys River, with Drummond Island only about one mile away.

DeTour Economic Development Corporation members (from left) Bill Schultz and Kevin Barret in front of the sign at the entrance to the DeTour Business Park. The park is a tool for the group to spur investment and jobs in the DeTour area. EDC chair Kevin Barret said the goal of the business park is to attract more permanent residents to the area as well as create jobs for current residents. The group is hoping to bring blue and white collar jobs into the park, including, but not limited to, doctors offices, insurance offices, retail stores, contractors, and light manufacturing facilities.

"It has potential for a lot of things. About the only thing we can't do there is we can't have something that has to do with hazardous waste," he said. "We realize that we don't have any industry here. What we do have is we are a great recreational area. The whole Upper Peninsula is considered a recreational area. One of the advantages that we have over some areas is we have a great view of the river."

So far only one business, K and K Concrete Contractors of DeTour, has purchased property in the business park. The only thing preventing the rest of the park from taking off is that it still needs to be hooked up to village water and sewer lines.

EDC board member Bill Schultz estimates it will cost up to $90,000 to run water and sewer lines into the first phase of the park, and cost about another $200,000 to supply water and sewer to the remainder of the 33-acre development. The EDC is applying for a rural development grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to fund the water and sewer hook up for the first phase of the park.

Several businesses have shown interest in the park, Mr. Schultz said, but until water and sewer lines are fed, it's likely none of them will

purchase property. K and K Concrete is using the building it erected in the park for storage and plans to move the rest of its operations there once water and sewer lines are fed into the park.

"It's a real problem and we're trying everything we can. It's really frustrating, because we do have employers interested. We just let the one business in because it can get by for a little bit without water and sewer," he said. "We always figure it's easier to try and attract somebody if you've got a nice building sitting out there, rather than just vacant ground."

Nine properties became available in the first phase of the development in 2008, each ranging between one and two acres in size. They are priced comparatively inexpensively at $10,000 per acre to help attract new and established businesses with multiple employees from around the state.

Once service is run into the park, it will be the responsibility of each business to connect their buildings to the water and sewer mains.

When the park is finally hooked up to village water and sewer, the EDC will be able to add the park to the state list of Certified Business Parks on the Michigan Economic Development Corporation Web site.

"The benefit of being on the state list is that people who are looking to relocate to the state of Michigan have that information available to them. If they look at the state list of business parks now, we're not listed, because we don't have water and sewer," Mr. Barret said.

The DeTour EDC is also trying to attract potential businesses through a contact list supplied by the EUP Regional Planning and Development Commission. Working with the DeTour Chamber of Commerce, 15,000 brochures have been sent to the Michigan Department of Transportation to be distributed to highway rest areas information kiosks.

The DeTour Business Park has come a long way since its inception in 2005. About $170,000 has been spent to develop the park to its current state, including the initial $33,000 to purchase the property

from Cloverland Electric Cooperative. Mr. Schultz said many local contractors have offered in-kind services to clear the land, lay out the road into the park, put asphalt at the entrance, and install a 15-foot-tall sign welcoming people to DeTour Village and the business park.

The EDC is also thinking about erecting an incubator building at some point to house start-up businesses that lack capital and may not be able to afford high rent at another location. The idea is that the business will pay low rent while it establishes itself and becomes profitable, with the stipulation it builds a permanent location in the business park after a couple of years.

"Those are the kinds I would really like to see us attract, because if you attract local ideas, more than likely those people are going to have a tie to the community and stay," Mr. Schultz said. "There's always people around with good ideas, but they may not have quite enough capital to get it off the ground."

The nine volunteers who sit on the DeTour EDC board are Rob Bloch, Robert Fountain, Gerald Schopp, Stuart Volkers, Mark Fair, Dave Kohring, Murray Fountain, Mr. Schultz, and Mr. Barret.

Dawson Street Park

The EDC is in the process of purchasing waterfront property two blocks south of the ferry to Drummond Island for a public park. A $495,000 grant from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Trust Fund is funding the EDC's purchase of the 800- foot waterfront property on Dawson Street.

Mr. Schultz said the sale of the land has been approved and the final paperwork is being prepared. The sale of the land should be completed by March 2010, he said.

"It'll be a nice facility. We're anticipating installing a deep water fishing pier there... It'll provide people that don't have a boat a place to do some fishing on the river," he said. "We're anticipating putting in a handicapped kayak and canoe launch. We're looking into the idea of getting something that can have summer concerts held down there right on the water, and possibly using the building [currently on the property] as a community meeting place."

The park will also serve as the community's trailhead for the proposed bike path from St. Ignace to Drummond Island, feature a boat launch ramp, and possibly transient boat docks. He said the project will be a multi-year development process.

"We're moving ahead with both projects, and that's the main thing. There's been a couple road blocks, but that's not going to stop us. We're determined to make this work because we know how important it is to the village," Mr. Schultz said.