Recreation Board Establishes Great Turtle Park Use Permit
Permit Awaits City Council's Approval
By Leslie Rott

When the city Recreation Board met Monday, May 15, they finalized the language and fees for a temporary use permit for Great Turtle Park, which will be presented at the next City Council meeting.

The temporary use permit will need to be obtained by anyone using the Park, will have to be submitted a week before the event, and will not allow more than 500 people at the Park.

The person or group issued the temporary use permit would be responsible for purchasing blue bags and cleanup after the event and a deposit would be required. For groups of 300 people of less, a $150 deposit is required, and for groups of 300 to 500, a $300 deposit is required.

If approved by Council, the use permit will be available at city offices.

In the past, people could use Turtle Park at their discretion, but this will allow the Recreation Board to keep tabs on who is using the Park and make sure it is being kept in good condition.

In other business at the meeting, the board discussed plans for summer youth activities. So far, three youth sports camps are planned.

A soccer camp with Saginaw Valley University Women's Soccer Coach Drago Dumbovic will be Monday, June 12, through Wednesday, June 14. The camp will be held at Mark Gallagher Memorial Soccer Field at Great Turtle Park.

A volleyball camp with Marysville Viking Championship Volleyball Coach John Knuth will be Wednesday, July 19, through Friday, July 21. The camp will be held in the Mackinac Island Public School gymnasium.

A basketball camp will be held Monday, August 14, through Wednesday, August 16, with South Haven Championship Coach Sam Cornett. The camp will be held in the Mackinac Island Public School gymnasium.

The cost for each camp is $50 for Mackinac Island Public School students and $75 for all other participants.

The Board also will plan a community activity in July, since the Frank Horn Memorial Softball Game takes place in June and the Guns and Hoses game takes place in August.

"July is National Recreation and Parks Month in Michigan, so we can tie it in with that," said Recreation Director Leanne Brodeur.

"Let's make it a centerpiece event to watch people make fools of themselves," Chairman Mike Hart suggested.

Other activities for the summer are also in the works.

It was also reported by Mrs. Brodeur that the Board received two grants from the Mackinac Island Community Foundation, $560 for an art and nature-in-the-park program and $1,049 for the youth sports camps.