The Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy (GTRLC) is purchasing the nearly 200-acre Camp Greilick/GO-REC property for $3.25 million from Rotary Camps and Services, the organization announced Friday. Thanks to support from a generous "conservation angel," GTRLC will hold the property temporarily to allow Grand Traverse County time to complete environmental testing and inspections, with the county planned to be the eventual owner of the site. 

Grand Traverse County has sought to buy the site for use as a public park, but needed more time to perform due diligence than Rotary Camps and Services could provide, according to a GTRLC release.

"We have been supportive of Grand Traverse County’s vision to purchase the property, to open it to the public and especially to renew its use as a place for young people and families to experience and learn about our natural world," GTRLC stated in the release. "The conservancy will hold the property to allow time for environmental testing and inspections of the buildings and grounds before selling it to the county. The property will not be open to the public until the county takes ownership. In the meantime, the county will be engaging the community on the best uses of the property in keeping with the area's recreation potential and conservation goals."

The property has 4,310 feet of frontage on Rennie, Spider, and Bass Lakes. It is "near thousands of acres of protected land and provides connections to numerous trail systems," according to GTRLC. In 2002, GTRLC worked with the Boy Scouts and Rotary Camps and Services "to craft a conservation easement, accounting for well over 60 existing buildings and other structures, allowing for low-impact camp activities, and for the camp's further growth, while still protecting much of the properties’ extensive conservation values," GTRLC stated.

GTRLC hopes to work with the county to "strengthen the terms of the conservation easement, further protecting the land and water, and to work with the Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation to bolster the permanent endowment fund to support the care and maintenance of the property, easing the long-term financial burden of the county to manage the property and facilities."

County Administrator Nate Alger confirms the county is the intended long-term buyer of the property and will be completing due diligence on the site. More details on the property and plans are expected to be released in May or June, according to GTRLC.