November 2018: A program that gets Emmet County fourth graders outdoors on bikes on a local trail has received support from the Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) of the Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation. The Kids Biking Initiative is a program of Top of Michigan Trails Council of Petoskey, and is part of their mission to encourage use of their network of over 300 miles of multi-use trails in Northern Michigan.

The program began in 2017 with financial assistance from a PHSACF grant, and has successfully led over 500 students in class field trips in 2017 and 2018. Over 300 students (from 15 fourth-grade classes) are slated to enjoy field trips in May 2019. Classes meet at Spring Lake Park in Petoskey, and take part in learning experiences before and during their eight-mile round trip ride on the North Western State Trail to the Oden Fish Hatchery.

The program was conceived by Cindy Okerlund, a retired teacher, who is the program director. Okerlund has committed to continuing the program beyond its initial three-year pilot period, and the funds from the Community Foundation will be used to purchase and maintain a fleet of 28 bicycles (previously leased)  for use by students involved in the program through 2022.

This grant was awarded from the Foundation’s Fund for Youth, along with a gift from the Ted and Brenda Frey Donor Advised Fund.

For more information about the Kids Biking program, visit /kids-biking-initiative/, or contact the Trails Council at 231-348-8280.

I live in Charlevoix with my wife, Anne.  I have a son, Oliver, who lives in Bloomington, Indiana.  I was born in Indiana and grew up there, in a small town near Fort Wayne.

Anne and I visited the Charlevoix area in our boat about six years ago and really liked the town and entire area.  We purchased a summer home north of downtown Charlevoix and one year later decided to sell our home in Indiana and move to Charlevoix to live here full time.  What attracted us to this area was the natural beauty, the charm of the communities, and the friendliness of the people; but one of the major reasons we chose to move here was the quality of the area bike trails.

For many years Anne and I biked to work and to the stores in Bloomington, which has a long history as a pro-biking community.  Trails were only available in the city of Bloomington, as the state of Indiana does little to build or promote bike trails.  I was so impressed with the quality of the bike trails in Northern Michigan that I wanted to do what I could to help promote and sustain them.  I am involved in the Charlevoix Trail Ambassadors group thanks to Luther Kurtz. Luther submitted my name as a potential board member for the Top of Michigan Trails Council in 2017, and I am proud to serve in that capacity. I believe that it is important for those of us who use the trails to do what we can to support trail organizations like the Trails Council.

As a member of the Charlevoix Trail Ambassador group, I was involved in moving the U.S. 35 bike trail to a safer route through the north side of Charlevoix. I am currently working with the city to set up a bike trail tab on the “Life In Charlevoix” web site.  I may also be working with Mayor Kurtz on a new bike path on the north side of town.

My ultimate dream is for the completion of the Charlevoix to Boyne City trail—sooner rather than later!

I appreciate the opportunity to be a part of the Top of Michigan Trails Council.

Bob

Planners for the Charlevoix  to Traverse City Trail (CHX – TC Trail) have an ambitious goal to connect two regional trail networks that link the communities of Traverse City, Acme, Elk Rapids, Eastport, Norwood and Charlevoix with over 300 miles of existing trails from Alpena to Suttons Bay. This requires combining what trail users want with suitable land and road right-of-ways that can support a non-motorized recreation and transportation trail. The trail will pass through beautiful scenery and provide access to 24 public amenities including parks, beaches, natural areas, communities, and other destinations along the US-31 corridor. The project builds on the vision of more than a decade of community groups working to make trail connections.

TOMTC is working in cooperation with TART (Traverse Area Regional Trails) to advocate for development of this trail. TART is researching a route for the trail on the southern end, north from Acme; while TOMTC has a goal to push for development of a ten-mile segment of the trail at the northernmost end, through Fisherman’s Island State Park (FISP).

The first step in developing the trail through FISP involves preliminary engineering, which is estimated to cost $100,000.  Michigan Department of Natural Resources has committed to funding half of this cost. Last fall, TOMTC was awarded a grant of $10,000 by the Charlevoix County Community Foundation, and we recently received a donation of $10,000 from 4Front Credit Union, to be applied to this engineering cost. We are in the process of seeking the rest of the funds needed to match the money committed by MDNR.

Our Charlevoix – Traverse City Trail committee feels strongly that completion of this long segment of trail through the park will provide a momentum for development of the rest of this important connector trail.  Watch for future developments!

TOMTC Executive Director Jeff Winegard and Board President Luther Kurtz serve on the Chx – TC Trail planning committee.

The Boyne Valley Trailway Committee has planned a trail through the Boyne River Valley that will connect Boyne City with Boyne Falls and the Boyne Mountain Resort. In addition, it will connect five schools with a non-motorized recreation trail that will accommodate pedestrians, runners, cross country skiers, snowshoers and cyclists at all times of the year.

All of the necessary property has been acquired or easements provided through partnerships with the City of Boyne City, Boyne Falls Village, Boyne Valley Township and Boyne Mountain Resort. In addition, the Trailway Committee is pleased to report that all necessary funds have been secured, through private donations and grants, so that construction can be completed in 2019.

Most of this paved trail will follow the abandoned Boyne City – Alpena Railroad through the forest along the Boyne River, and will provide an alternative to the automobile as a means of transportation. The Trailway will create possibilities for healthy exercise for our citizens and our vacationing tourists.

In Boyne City this trail will connect to the Boyne City-Charlevoix Trail and the rest of the Top of Michigan Trails Council trail network.

Updated by Michael Sheean, BVT Committee member and TOMTC board member 

The Burt Lake Trail Committee, with the experienced grant writing assistance of OHM Advisors (a Petoskey-based civil engineering firm), is taking a big step forward with the submission of grant requests this spring to the DNR Trust Fund and MDOT/ Transportation Alternatives Fund for grants to construct Phases III and IV of the trail in 2020.  Working with OHM, analysis of two alternatives led to the lowest cost by combining the two phases.

Phase III is a continuation of the trail off-road along East Burt Lake Road from Riggsville Rd to Birchwood Rd and will be a 1.5 mile paved, separated trail. Phase IV will continue on East Burt Lake Rd from Birchwood Rd to Mullett-Burt Rd and will be 1.5 miles of paved 6-foot shoulders on each side of the road, which will be coordinated with the planned reconstruction of this portion of East Burt Lake Rd in 2020.

Phase II of the trail is awaiting the completion of an archaeological study and the final legal description of the U of M easement. Both are anticipated to be completed in May. Then construction bids can be obtained, probably in June, with one selected in July.  This would mean construction could start sometime in August or later in the fall. The start date will be determined when working with the contractor.  Phase II will be 1.8 miles of paved, separated trail that runs from West Burt Lake Rd at Hogsback to East Burt Lake Rd at Riggsville Rd.

Phase V of the trail was completed in the summer of 2017 working with the Cheboygan County Road Commission. This portion consists of 5-foot paved shoulders running along Mullett-Burt Rd between East Burt Lake Rd (at Hoppies) and Topinabee Mail Route Rd.

Former TOMTC board member Connie Vorenkamp was part of the original planning committee for the Burt Lake Trail. Current board member Margie Reh serves on the committee at this time. 

Keith Lamkin, who passed away on July 7, 2017, will be remembered as one of the early advocates for non-motorized trails in Emmet County. I first met Keith when he served as the Director of the MSU Cooperative Extension Service in Emmet County. As a planning consultant to counties in the early 70’s, the extension office was a first stop for me. Keith and I got to discussing community services, which led to the subject of “bike paths” and their intrinsic values to citizens in the community. Keith invited me to attend a meeting of the Little Traverse Bay Kiwanis Club, which had appointed a “Bikeway Committee,” because the Club had adopted bike paths to be their community betterment project. In a way, this was the formative step to nonmotorized trails in Emmet County, bringing together a broad spectrum of community leaders, including Fred Fettis, Dick Brown, Neal McCue and many others.

The Kiwanis Club’s Bikeway Committee grew to become the Little Traverse Wheelway Committee. Keith was an early chairperson of that committee and was skilled in the art of community management/operations. Over time, there were more than 125 persons who volunteered to serve on that committee. Fred Fettis eventually succeeded Keith as committee chair, but both worked together to plan trails around Little Traverse Bay. I was privileged to have worked with these men. The goal of a non-motorized trail “around the bay” has been achieved.

Max Putters, TOMTC board member