DNRE Receives Two States Organization for Boating Access Awards
Published: Monday, December 27, 2010 7:00 am
By: Department of Natural Resources and Environment
The Department of Natural Resources and Environment has received two awards from States Organization for Boating Access (SOBA) for Straits State Harbor and the Eight Point Lake Boating Access Site.
Each year, SOBA provides the opportunity for boat access projects to be nominated for national recognition in four categories. These categories were established to acknowledge the range of boating access projects that states and other organizations often address. Cost does not define the size of a project. Rather the need for access, the intended customer base and daily use, and the often unique circumstances of the site itself can greatly affect cost and the design of the project.
The 2010 recipient in the Marina and Harbor category was Straits State Harbor, located in Mackinaw City. The project utilized many "green" technologies including wind turbines, solar tubes, motionlight sensors, timed showers and low-flow water and toilet fixtures. The marina includes 134 slips, fuel sales, sanitary pump-out, a three lane boat ramp, harbormaster building, park and areas to shore fish on Lake Huron.
The harbor re-purposed a former "brownfield" in Mackinaw City. A brownfield is a piece of industrial or commercial property that is abandoned or underused and often environmentally contaminated. In this case, the harbor development used land that had previously been the site of oil storage tanks and a transfer station for an oil company. It was also the historic site where the ferry boats docked to transport vehicles between the Lower and Upper Peninsulas prior to the construction of the Mackinac Bridge.
The second award received by the DNRE was for the Small Access Site Project category. Eight Point Lake boating access site is on the largest lake – 400 acres – in Clare County. Prior to construction of this facility, the lake had no public access. Now it has a one lane ramp with 22 parking spaces. Obstacles that were overcome during the construction included: collecting public input, addressing private landowner concerns, storm water management to protect shoreline wetlands, poor inbound road access, poor geotechnical conditions and inadequate accessibility for disabled individuals.
The project would not have been a success without public input prior to land acquisition and multiple meetings with the lake association, municipality and individual neighbors. This also included researching and providing feedback for all concerns so that all parties came to a common consensus of support for boating access on Eight Point Lake. It was in recognition of the public process involved in the development of this site that was the basis for this award.
"Our Recreation Division does a great job of making sure Michigan remains a leader in boating and public access to our many water resources, including the Great Lakes, our many inland lakes, rivers and streams," said DNRE Director Rebecca Humphries. "These two awards are greatly deserved."
In 2010, a total of 17 nominations for projects were considered for SOBA awards.
The Department of Natural Resources and Environment is committed to the conservation, protection, management, and accessible use and enjoyment of the state's environment, natural resources, and related economic interests for current and future generations. Learn more at www.michigan.gov/dnre.
