SAUGATUCK TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Ninety years ago, Saugatuck purchased property to build an airport. The city now plans to turn the unused site into a park.

“I remember snowmobiling here, and there were hairpin turns,” said Saugatuck Mayor Lauren Stanton.

She recalls that the property was used by a snowmobile club.

Daren Bower

Now the city will transform the 170 acres that stretch along 63^rd Street near 134^th Avenue leading to a municipal park.

“There will be a beautiful overlook that will be built so you can just enjoy this beautiful property that has been sitting empty for a very long time,” Stanton said.

Daren Bower

The opening of this land to the public was possible thanks to a donation of $160,000 made by the family of George Supp.

Stanton said, “They wanted to protect this land from development, but they also wanted the public to use it. »

The city will use the Outdoor Discovery Center to build a parking lot, a gazebo and create marked trails.

“We already had a group of eighth graders from Saugatuck Middle School that came here, and they helped clear out the invasive species and get some of it out of here,” Stanton said.

A conservation easement was also created to protect the ravines portion of the property from future development.

Daren Bower

Stanton said, “We just want to make sure that, you know, he’s protected within that overlay, not allowing anything else to happen with him and keeping that part intact.” »

After years of unofficial use of the property, Stanton said it was time to turn it into a park. She says, “We just want to get to a point where these are legitimate trails, where the public can actually use it and be safe here.” »

Mayor Stanton says construction of the parking lot and trails will begin in the spring and hopes the park will open by early summer.

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