Michigan DNR awards $761,600 in Recreation Passport grants to local communities for park improvements

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has announced that 19 communities across the state will share $761,600 in Recreation Passport grants for park improvements. Money for this fund is derived from the sale of the Recreation Passport, which replaced the resident motor vehicle permit (MVP) - or window sticker - for state park entrance in 2010.

Grants have been awarded to:

• Merritt Township (Bay County)
• Burt Township (Cheboygan County)
• Clay Township (St. Clair County)
• City of Escanaba (Delta County)
• City of Norway (Dickinson County)
• Schoolcraft Township (Houghton County)
• Stanton Township (Houghton County)
• City of Mason (Ingham County)
• Richland Township (Kalamazoo County)
• Garfield Township (Kalkaska County)
• Boardman Township (Kalkaska County)
• Suttons Bay Township (Leelanau County)
• Unadilla Township (Livingston County)
• Erie Township (Monroe County)
• Albert Township (Montmorency County)
• Dalton Township (Muskegon County)
• City of Evart (Osceola County)
• Garden City (Wayne County)
• City of Trenton (Wayne County)

The full list of award recipients, grant amounts and description of their projects are available at www.michigan.gov/dnr-grants by clicking on Recreation Passport Grants.

The cities, counties and townships selected to receive a Recreation Passport grant clearly demonstrated projects that are designed to provide better public outdoor recreation opportunities or facilities, infrastructure and economic development plans that support public outdoor recreation activity. The successful entries were chosen from a field of 87 grant applications seeking some $3.2 million in funding.

Applicants sought funding for a broad range of public recreation projects, including playground development and renovations, picnic areas and pavilions, replacement of bathroom facilities, and improved access for those with disabilities. The DNR expects that, in future years, the maximum grant amount will increase as revenue from sales of the Recreation Passport also increases.

“These grants to local units of government for public outdoor recreation represent some of the great benefits that are coming from the Recreation Passport Program,” said Steve DeBrabander, manager of Grants Management for the DNR. “The DNR is proud to assist local units of government by providing funds to improve public access to quality outdoor recreation for their citizens.”

Application materials for future Recreation Passport grants will soon be available at www.michigan.gov/dnr-grants. Interested individuals also may call DNR Grants Management at 517-373-9125 or write to Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Grants Management, P.O. Box 30425, Lansing, MI 48909-7925.