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Dark Sky Park in Michigan Getting $7M Upgrade

WAWATAM TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) - Plans call for a $7 million upgrade starting this year at a park on the Straits of Mackinac that's designated as a prime spot for stargazing.

MLive.com reports that Emmet County leaders have approved a bond to fund an indoor observatory with restrooms and meeting space at the park in Wawatam Township, about 2 miles west of Mackinaw City.

Engineers are working on drawings now. Construction at The Headlands International Dark Sky Park could start later this year and be finished in 2015.

The 600-acre county property in recent years was designated as an International Dark Sky Park, one of more than a dozen around the world. Public lands that meet light pollution and nighttime sky visibility standards are eligible for the certification.

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