New Parks Director
After wading through a pool of 82 candidates, Ottawa County Administrator Al Vanderberg announced today that Jason Shamblin has been selected to serve as the next Ottawa County Parks and Recreation Director.
“Jason’s extensive background in parks management coupled with his enthusiasm and passion for parks service provision made him the best candidate to take the helm,” said Al Vanderberg.
Read the press release here.
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Historic Ottawa Beach
 Ottawa Beach Marina
Much progress has been made at the newest and final addition to the Historic Ottawa Beach Parks, the Ottawa Beach Marina! Seasonal slips will open by Memorial Day, and transient slips will be ready for rental in July.
Also available by August will be a universally accessible kayak launch (and a few associated parking spaces), and new, modern restrooms.
There are still seasonal slips available! Contact us if you're interested in a slip.
Transient slip rental - available soon!
Whether you’re traveling the big lake or enjoying a stay-cation at a local campground, we’d love to host you and your boat at Ottawa Beach. We can also help you with trailer storage: (616) 738-4810. Transient slips can be rented online, through the DNR reservation system: michigan.gov/harbors
Bikes will be available to marina customers free-of-charge for travel around the area.
Save the Date - Join us for a dedication event at the Ottawa Beach Marina
August 15, 4-6 pm • 2330 Ottawa Beach Road, Holland 49424
The event will feature a short program and light refreshments.
Invitation coming soon.
Pump House Museum
Make sure to check out the Pump House Museum & Learning Center while you are in the area. They will open for the season on June 1. Hours of operation:
- June 1-30 - Every Saturday & Sunday from 1-5 pm
- July 1-September 2 - Open every day from 1-5 pm
Stearns Creek Grand Opening & Dedication
June 27, 4-6 pm • 13594 136th Ave, Grand Haven 49417
The event will feature...
- Ceremony from 4-4:30 pm
- Guided hike
- Light refreshments
Upon opening visitors can expect: rudimentary trail system, parking area, port-a-let, wayfinding, and a few memorial benches and picnic tables donated by the Vollmer Family.
A master plan of the site will be developed in the future, but ideas for future improvements include: accessible trails, longer trail loops with overlook decks, kayak and fishing access, and extensive habitat restoration and enhancement. A special thank you to Lakeshore Middle School students for their work prepping the trails!
This acquisition was funded by a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program (CELCP) grant, a Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grant, and a gift from the estate of John J. Helstrom. In honor of the gift, the park will feature the Helstrom Family Trail System.
 Working with our partners in the Holland Area, Ottawa County Parks is seeking to develop multi-use trail along the Macatawa River that would eventually connect its Paw Paw Park, Adams Street Landing, and UMNA properties to the Fred Meijer Kenowa Trail in Zeeland Charter Township, downtown Holland, and the Lake Michigan shoreline. Some of this trail is in place, such as in the UMNA, but much more needs to be developed.
Spearheaded by the Outdoor Discovery Center, Macatawa Green Trail 1.0 is an initial effort to provide trailhead maps and wayfinding to designate a route through the greenway. It will utilize existing non-motorized paths, bike lanes, and sidewalks to provide a safe cycling route through the Holland area. Nearly 30 miles in total, the route will connect over a dozen park spaces and nature preserves together and to local communities.
While more work must be done to accomplish the overall greenway vision, this first step will provide a visible reminder of the connections we are trying to make between people and nature along the Macatawa River.
Did you know there’s a connection to the Fred Meijer Kenowa Trail through the Upper Macatawa Natural Area in Zeeland?
If you reserve a facility or register for a Parks program this summer, you may notice our system looks different. We have upgraded our database. Here’s what you’ll be able to do with our new system:
- Create a login and set up a household. You’ll be able to see your program registrations and reservations in one place.
- One check out and payment for multiple purchases (facilities, summer camps, etc.).
- Purchase your annual Parks pass
How-to videos are available on our website to help you get started. We anticipate questions and are happy to answer them if you call: (616) 738-4810
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Ottawa Walks was created in partnership with the Ottawa County Department of Public Health in response to participants of Step it Up! requesting a year-round program. A group of volunteers have made that possible.
Beginning in June, volunteers will host a weekly group walk in parks and neighborhoods throughout the county. These walks are free, and registration is not required at this time. To find a walk near you, visit:
https://miottawa.org/Parks/ottawawalks.htm
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Register now for the 2019 231 River Run on October 26 at Connor Bayou! The 10K run and 4 mile run/walk make the event attainable for every fitness level. Proceeds support the Idema Explorers Trail.
Space is limited.
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Ottawa County Parks, along with the City of Holland, Holland Charter Township, Park Township, Laketown Township, and the Outdoor Discovery Center are partnering with a non-profit organization, Park Rx America, and the Holland Hospital Physical Hospital Organization (PHO) to bring nature prescriptions to patients in the Holland-area.
Thanks to two incredibly helpful volunteers, Ottawa County Parks was able to play a major role in this project. Kyle Morrison, a pre-med student, input all of the Ottawa County Park data into this system. Dr. Barb W. Brown, one of our newest volunteers, coordinated efforts with four local municipalities to ensure their park data was included. With their help, over 80 parks are available to local doctors to prescribe.
Why does this matter?
Due to the influx of recent studies uncovering the science behind the healing power of nature, healthcare is changing. Parks advocates know, anecdotally, that time outside helps us feel happier and healthier. With data to back that up, doctors are getting behind the movement to get more people outside more often. The Park Rx America platform will help doctors, who may not know the parks inside and out, connect their patients to a park that is a good fit for them. We hope more local doctor’s offices embrace this system.
Volunteers matter!
We are grateful for the thousands of hours our volunteers dedicate to the Parks system each year. Many of them work outside, but others help with administrative tasks and special projects like Park Rx America. No matter what your interest is, we can find a volunteer position for you. Apply online.
Read the full story here.
Stearns Creek Trail Improvements
The Ottawa County Parks Foundation designated $3,000 of project funds to be used for trail and kiosk signage at the new Stearns Creek Park. Acquisitions and improvements like this could not be accomplished without public and private support!
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Grand River Greenway & Idema Explorers Trail Updates
 The Idema Explorers Trail is being constructed in phases along the south side of the Grand River. Once completed, the trail will be 35 miles in length and will connect together eight county and state parks in Ottawa County!
Construction began this spring on a segment of the Idema Explorers Trail along Cottonwood Drive and 10th Avenue near the Jenison business district.
This portion of trail was funded through the Ottawa County Parks Foundation’s Grand River Greenway Campaign in partnership with Ottawa County Parks and Georgetown Township. Funding from these organizations leveraged a grant from the MDOT Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP).
The new segment will be an important transportation route for the more densely populated neighborhoods of the Jenison area. It also sets the stage for:
- Future connections to protected park areas (the Bend Area and an unnamed 40-acre open space north of Baldwin Street)
- Future direct connection to Kent Trails near the Ottawa/Kent County border
- Future connection to the Grand River waterfront, which will be the first walkable/bikeable route to public land along the Grand River in Georgetown Township.
Construction on a segment of the trail along 42nd Avenue in Jenison is also expected this spring. It will connect GVSU to Grand Ravines.
Learn more about the Ottawa County Parks Foundation and their projects or make a donation online: ottawacountyparksfoundation.orgRead the full press release by clicking here.
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Friends of Ottawa County Parks
Jim O’Brien Memorial
Jim O'Brien was a long-time member of Friends of Ottawa County Parks who passed away last year. Using memorial funds in his honor, Friends has partnered with the Tri-Cities Garden Club to plant a memorial garden at the Weaver House.
Memorial funds were also used to purchase a kayaks and paddles for the Nature Center for summer camps and other programs. This will reduce the cost of these programs and hopefully encourage more participants.
Jim always loved the Weaver House and hoped the contributions in his honor could improve Pine Bend in some way, as well as support student education. We are pleased to be able to do both!
Join us at a Weaver House open house this summer. Open houses will take place between 1-3 pm on the following dates: June 16, July 21, August 18, September 15, October 20.
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 Jim O'Brien Memorial Garden
Careerline Tech Center Collaboration
Students in the Careerline Tech (CTC) Natural Resources & Outdoor Studies and Construction programs are working together to build and install 28 boot brush stations and a wader wash station at 10 Ottawa County Parks before the summer season. The installation of this equipment will culminate in a special advocacy event on June 1.
Cleaning off boots and waders is an easy way for park visitors to help stop the spread of invasive species. It’s unintentional, but often the seeds of these harmful plants get stuck on the bottom of our boots or a snail attaches itself to a wader while fishing. Brushing off or rinsing off before and after you hike and fish significantly decreases the potential spread of these pests.
By offering boot brush and wader wash stations, Ottawa County Parks joins an international campaign called PlayCleanGo: Stop Invasive Species In Your Tracks. The campaign’s goal is to protect valuable natural resources while encouraging people to enjoy the outdoors.
Read the full story here.
 Special Stewardship Event
 Save the date for a special event hosted by Careerline Tech Center Natural Resources students to celebrate PlayCleanGo Awareness week! The event will feature paddle board lessons ($10 donation), selfie photo booth, ecosystem Jenga, restoration ecology cornhole, a naturalist-guided hike (at 11 am), and limited edition "Stand Up Against Invasive Species" stickers will be available ($1 donation). #PlayCleanGoWeek
HWA Task Force Update
Unfortunately, we can no longer say that Ottawa County Parks is free of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA). HWA was found during surveys this winter at three lakeshore park properties: Historic Ottawa Beach, North Ottawa Dunes, and Ottawa Sands. No HWA was found at Olive Shores or Kirk Park.
Parks staff is planning injection treatments in high-risk areas that have proven to be effective for 3-5 years. We’re using the injection method for several reasons:
- It will be a highly targeted application.
- It will also increase efficiency, allowing us to use the smallest amount of pesticide necessary, which will have positive environmental and ecological consequences.
- Also important to our neighbors, the chemical will stay in the tree, instead of unintentionally leaching into the sandy soils of these dune parks.
As you’re enjoying the parks (or your own property), keep an eye out for HWA. For tips on identification or to report it, visit: saveMIhemlocks.org
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 Online registration opens in June. Children must be the age listed by June 1, 2019; Pricing is per child, per session.
 
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