Stearns Park improvements planned

By Rob Alway

Editor-in-Chief

LUDINGTON – Some major improvements are planned for Stearns Park. The city council approved a bid for renovation of the restrooms at the north concession stand. The council also passed a resolution asking the Michigan Department of Natural Resources for a $300,000 grant to help improve the west end of Ludington Avenue.

The grant will help offset costs of the $479,000 project.

The city  is looking to create improved pedestrian access at the Lake Michigan waterfront. The project would provide universal access to people with disabilities by constructing a concrete walkway through the sandy beach area to connect the existing north breakwater leading to the lighthouse to the west end of Ludington Avenue. It would also include a promenade designed to hold a 60-foot by 100-foot tent for special events.

Beach restrooms.

A low bid of $84,890 was received from Winberg Construction of Montague; Winberg submitted an additional bid of $15,900 to tile the walls in the restroom rather than painting the concrete block walls.

“Though the bids came in over budget, I believe it is important to complete this project due to the poor conditions of these restrooms,” City Manager John Shay wrote in a memo to the council. Shay said more people are using the restrooms because of a walkway that was installed last year. He said the city has received many complaints about the poor condition of the restrooms and that they are not Americans with Disabilities Act compliant.

The city allocated $68,000 for the project. Shay said because the bid came in over budget he recommended that the tile work not be done and the walls be painted instead.