City Looks to Make Camp Dearborn Improvements
The proposed plan to add paths to increase foot and bike traffic into Camp Dearborn is discussed at a public meeting Tuesday.
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A Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Grant the city of Dearborn plans to apply for in order to make improvements at Camp Dearborn was discussed Tuesday night at a public meeting.
It's a plan that would also require significant financial input from the city's residents. Therefore, the city hopes to educate residents about the plan and receive input on both the proposed improvements and the camp's functionality and future.
One of Dearborn’s most famous attractions, recreational park Camp Dearborn is actually located in the city of Milford.
Though it's not geographically connected, the camp is owned by the city of Dearborn. It offers a wide range of services for outdoor activity, including a swimming beach, acres of shaded picnic sites, fishing, paddleboat rentals and golf. It's one of Dearborn residents' greatest recreational resources.
The meeting to discuss proposed improvements to the camp took place in the boardroom of the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center.
According to Greg Orner, Dearborn Recreation Department director, the plan centers on efforts to make Camp Dearborn more accessible to bicyclists and foot traffic while lessening vehicle traffic into and out of the camp. In the proposed plan, a longer bike trail would be added to give bicyclists easier access to the camp and they would not be charged to enter.
The grant would partially fund the installation of a multi-use path that would connect the Milford Trail on General Motors Road to Camp Dearborn. The path would include a canoe and kayak launch as well as a shore fishing platform on the Huron River.
Orner told attendees that the city would be presenting a conceptual plan for the camp by April 1–the grant's application deadline.
"We want to de-emphasize the amount of vehicles coming into the camp to make more room for bikes and cause less traffic," explained Eric Peterson, Recreation Department deputy director.
The public was given a chart showing the summary of revenue and expenses from years 2006 until 2010. The chart illustrated why investing in the camp is a worthwhile cause.
The amount of expenses is approximately $381,000 and the community of Dearborn will need to raise approximately $114,500, which is 30 percent of the whole project's projected costs. The rest of the money will need to come from the NDNR funds, which will amount to roughly $267,000.
Bruce Sanborn
9:14 am on Wednesday, March 9, 2011
That project needs to be carefully reviewed. The speed limit at Camp Dearborn is about 15 miles per hour, which is closely watched by the police. We already have roads all over the camp that can be safely used by bikes. I would think the money could be used elsewhere for improvements throughout the camp rather than for a bike trail.
t morton
11:48 pm on Thursday, March 10, 2011
i agree the money should be used all over camp
Craig Frost
10:15 am on Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Does the city make any money on Camp Dearborn or is this just a service to its residents? I think if it's a sound financial investment, I (as a resident of Dearborn) am willing to contribute. Otherwise, I think that money could be better spent on something more worthwhile than leveraging a grant.
d. smith
10:36 am on Wednesday, March 9, 2011
I am a Camp Dearborn camper and resident for the last 40 years. It seems to me that there are many more updates that are in need instead of a bike path. There are plenty of paths for bikes and walkers, but tent village seems to be falling apart. Missing screens, broken doors, filthy bathrooms. The money may better benefit those improvements.
t morton
11:47 pm on Thursday, March 10, 2011
i agree with u
t morton
11:47 pm on Thursday, March 10, 2011
I agree with D. smith.... I’ve been going to camp Dearborn my whole life... now my kids go there. They need to updat for the new generation of campers. The bike path seems nice but to the campers that been coming every year do something for them... update the older bathrooms, give it to the rec center for more actives for the kids to do... the tent village didn’t have a update in years. Yes the cabins were a update but the tents haven’t been ...some of the green canopies have holes the wood is rotting .the screens have holes in them . redo some of the tables with missing pieces of wood... think of the campers without them you wont have a camp Dearborn..
MaintainServices-StayClean-StaySafe
4:36 pm on Friday, March 11, 2011
How can the City of Dearborn cry poverty and continually reduce public employees needed to keep the actual City clean and safe? When times are good, grant money is great. When times are this bad, fiscal responsibility trumps luxury spending of $144,500, even when spent in conjunction with grant money.
Marlene
11:46 am on Tuesday, October 4, 2011
People are losing their jobs and homes in the City, the value of homes has dropped , but not our property taxes, and they want to spend money foolishly for Camp Dearborn. Personally, I think the City should sell this property, keep the pools open we have in the area - maintain the parks and keep its residents happy and wanting to continue to live here.