Wayne, Washtenaw County Included In DNR's First Round Of State Park Infrastructure Projects
(CBS DETROIT) - The Michigan Department of Natural Resources announced that they have started infrastructure projects in several counties that will address critical needs at state parks.
The first round of the infrastructure projects will happen in Bay, Cheboygan, Delta, Iosco, Mackinac, Monroe, Ontonagon, Saginaw, Washtenaw, and Wayne counties.
The DNR has given $15,962,000 to complete critical updates at state parks in these counties which include lodge renovations, upgraded electrical and water distribution systems, preserving historic structures, and stabilizing riverbanks for trail resurfacing.
In Washtenaw County, $65,000 will be used to install a fishing pier with more accessible features to Portage Lake at the Portage Lake Campground located within the Waterloo Recreation Area.
The $7.5 million in funding going to Wayne County will be used at Belle Isle to remove lead paint and replace both the glass and upper steel structural members that support the upper dome of the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory.
This effort is a part of the DNR Phase 1 funding which has been made possible through Whitmer's Building Michigan Together Plan.
The Building Michigan Together Plan is a $4.8 billion infrastructure plan that included $250 million to help address the backlog of maintenance needs at Michigan state parks.
"Michigan's state parks are beloved, defining features of our beautiful state and because of the bipartisan Building Michigan Together Plan I signed earlier this year, we are investing resources to show our parks some well-deserved love and much-needed TLC," said Gov. Whitmer. "State parks support tens of thousands of jobs and countless local economies, empowering tourism and recreation small businesses across the state. Together, let's keep improving them by addressing operational and infrastructure needs and ensure Michiganders have stunning public parks to enjoy for generations to come."
The chief of the DNR Parks and Recreation Division Ron Olson says the DNR expects to announce a second phase of projects in the coming months.
© 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
