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Pentwater-Hart Bike Trail Gets $1.4 million in state funds.
PENTWATER — Senator Goeff Hansen kicked off a bicycle event in Pentwater, June 29, by announcing he had secured $1.4 million in state funds for the creation of the Pentwater-Hart Bike Trail.
The funds are the first public funds committed to the creation of a trail that has been in the planning stages for roughly three years. While alternate routes have been considered, the trail would be constructed along Wayne Road to Harrison Road, south on 72nd Avenue where it would connect to the trailhead of the William Field Memorial Hart-Montague Bicycle Trail, in Hart. The trail would be a paved trail, separated from the road by a safety buffer.
“This is a tremendous boost for our project,” said Claudia Ressel-Hodan, chair of the Pentwater-Hart Bike Trail committee. “It tells us the state also sees this trail as an important recreational venue for the region.”
Senator Hansen agreed, noting that such trails have a positive economic impact. “This will be a great recreational asset for year-round residents as well as the thousands of visitors to our area who also support the local economy.”
Ressel-Hodan said the first significant expense will be a formal survey to present to the Oceana County Road Commission, which requested the survey before formally approving the project. The estimated total cost of constructing the trail is $5 million. To date, the group has raised approximately $20,000 including roughly $1,500 raised during the fun ride through the Village of Pentwater June 29 and the “Roll for the Pentwater-Hart Bike Trail” event June 30 during which participants rode the proposed trail route.
The goal of the Pentwater-Hart Bicycle Trail Committee, founded in fall 2015, is to enable residents and visitors safe access to the trail in Hart and the network of trails connected to it. To preserve and maintain the Pentwater-Hart Bicycle Trail, the committee has created a “Friends” group whose volunteer members currently work on creation of the trail and in the future will maintain the trail to the safety standards of the appropriate government agencies.
Fiduciary responsibility resides with the Village of Pentwater and funds are maintained by the Oceana Community Foundation. Funds raised in excess of the goal shall be placed in a reserve fund within the foundation, and will be used solely for trail maintenance.
The June 30 event was sponsored by Shelby State Bank, the Pentwater Service Club, Hart House Bed and Breakfast and with support from The Boathouse Bar and Grille, Hart Pizza and Pentwater’s Cosmic Candy.
Anyone interested in becoming a “Friend of the Pentwater-Hart Bike Trail” can find a membership form on Pentwater-HartBikeTrail.com or by contacting Claudia Ressel-Hodan at 231-233-9717.
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