2016 GRANT CYCLE FUNDING AREA PROJECTS

With the April 1 deadline approaching to submit grant applications this year to the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund, area governments are holding public hearings and approving resolutions on a variety of park and recreational projects.
Every year, municipalities and county governments from all over the state submit applications for trust fund grants. Gov. Rick Snyder is expected to sign the funding recommendations from the 2016 cycle soon. The trust fund board recommended funding approval for $19.9 million in development projects and $27.7 million in land acquisition projects.
Area projects being funded from the 2016 grant cycle include park developments in Niles Township and Niles City for sections of the Indiana-Michigan River Valley Trail, a new park in the village of Eau Claire and development of a trail head in Watervliet near the Paw Paw River.
This year, a number of entities including Berrien County and at least four townships are submitting grant applications. While the grant application deadline is April 1, applicants don’t find out if they can expect to get funding until late in the year. The actual funding won’t be approved until next spring in 2018.
Berrien County Parks Director Brian Bailey reported that the county is applying for two grants to fund improvements to two county parks: Galien River County Park near New Buffalo and Love Creek County Park near Berrien Center.
At Love Creek, Bailey said the county hopes to acquire 12 acres of privately-owned land adjacent to the northwest side of the park. The land is undeveloped and has a small pond which he said would be “an excellent educational resource for the park’s naturalist staff when conducting programs for school groups.
“The property would also provide a ‘buffer’ from any future development,” he added. “If acquired, we plan to add trails for hiking, biking and skiing. The property is also home to native mammals and birds that live there.”
If successful, he said the county would use the state grant to pay for 75 percent of the undisclosed purchase price and use funds from the Berrien County Parks Commission or the Parks Endowment Fund for the local match.
The other county grant application is for $300,000 to pay for the second phase of development at the Galien River County Park. The total project cost is expected to be $530,500 with the rest of the money coming from the Berrien County Parks budget and/or the Berrien County Capital Improvement Fund.
“We plan to improve the landscaping at the front entrance of the park along Red Arrow highway,” Bailey said. “We will expand and asphalt the parking area and include parking for school busses and motorhomes, add a plaza area for school groups to be dropped off and loaded, add vault restrooms, cement the barrier free switchback trail leading to the lower portion of the park and add storm water detention areas.”
The first phase of improvements at Galien River County Park were completed in 2014 after the county received a Natural Resources Trust Fund grant to create and establish the park. The park has 86 acres of upland and wetland habitats as well as 8,600 feet of river frontage.
Townships expected to submit grant applications by the April 1 deadline include Berrien, Oronoko, Royalton and St. Joseph Townships.
Royalton Township is applying for two grants to pay for playground equipment and other amenities at Bicentennial Park and work on a nature trail off of Bacon School Road. St. Joseph Township wants fund to make the Hickory Creek Trail recreation project a reality with a canoe launch, parking area and overlook deck.
Berrien Township is looking to make improvements at Range Line Park to the parking lot, playground equipment, a volleyball court, shelter and other items. Oronoko Township is resubmitting the grant application made last year and not funded for the creation of a new 20-acre township park on Snow Road.