RV park will no longer be pursued by city
It appears as if one Rogers City project may move forward in the spring while another has reached an end. The proposed inline/ice hockey rink, if the funding is available, may become a reality in 2004, but the RV park adjacent to the wastewater treatment plant is a dead issue.
The projects were two of many discussed at the November 19 Parks and Recreation Commission meeting. Rogers City Councilwoman Deb Greene, who serves on the commission, updated council Monday evening on a list of topics. The commission adopted a resolution recommending city council not to proceed with the RV park at this time because it doesn?t appear to be financially feasible. Council wasn?t required to take any action, so the proposal will no longer be pursued. Members of the parks commission recently received the final feasibility study from Capital Consultants, which showed 34 sites.
?There?s no way that we can possibly make any kind of money,? said Greene. ?It?s going to be tough making ends meet.? The largest cost would come from the operation of the park, said city manager John Bruning. Gary Rickard from Lake May appeared at the commission meeting and said his family has experience running a campground. In order for it to be feasible, he said, it would need more sites and several employees to operate it. Bruning said it would need at least 100 sites for it to be financially viable.
THE VOGELHEIM CONDOMINIUM project, the impact on Hoeft State Park, and any expansion of the treatment plant were other issues that did in the project. ?With Vogelheim?s condo development going in next store,? Greene said, ?they (condo developers) said they wouldn?t even dream of putting in condos if that were going to be a trailer park.
?We certainly didn?t want to sacrifice one for the other,? said Greene. ?It (RV park) has been brought up for the last 15 years. We were going to complete it or just forget about it, and the numbers just don?t match up.? It appears construction of an inline/ice skating rink may proceed in the spring if Gov. Jennifer Granholm doesn?t cut off too much more revenue sharing. An area has been measured just beyond the softball fence at Sports Park for an asphalt slab measuring 150 feet by 50 feet.
Some of the slope would have to be excavated for it to fit, but lights from the field could be re
GREENE TOLD council officials with MDOT are looking at three different routes to extend the Huron Shore Trail to the 40 Mile Point Lighthouse. MDOT?s Alpena Transportation Service Center, which sponsored the extension from Seagull Point Park and Hoeft State Park, is considering submitting a new application to extend the trail. Possible routes are along US-23, a utility right-of-way, or a County Road. The project would require a 20 percent local match.
Greene also reported discussions are continuing regarding possible improvements to Quarry View. The deadline for the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grant applications is in spring 2004 and the parks commission chair, Mary Ann Heidemann, plans to discuss the matter further with Michigan Limestone Operations? plant manager Mike Skinner. Heidemann will determine whether MLO is interested in a long term lease or a perpetual easement. It would take a year to apply for the grant and it could be a project for 2005.