Traverse City Parks and Recreation commissioners unanimously voted Thursday to support creating an official water trail on the Boardman River between Grand Traverse Bay YMCA South and Grand Traverse Bay. Commissioners also discussed proposals to convert two of the four tennis courts at Slabtown Corner into six pickleball courts and to create a public mural at the Open Space.

Boardman River Water Trail
As recently as five years ago, Michigan had only 11 water trails, or designated routes on navigable waterways designed for small non-motorized watercraft such as kayaks or canoes. Today, there are at least 41 such “blueways” in the state – and the Boardman River is one step closer to becoming the next one.

Parks and Recreation commissioners unanimously supported a request from the Land Information Access Association (LIAA) to officially designate the Boardman River as a water trail in the “urbanized” section of the river between Grand Traverse Bay YMCA South on South Airport Road and Grand Traverse Bay. LIAA has spent the past year leading a community planning process to create a formal trail on the Boardman, a project funded by a combined $42,000 grant from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality’s Coastal Zone Management Program and Rotary Charities.

LIAA Executive Director Harry Burkholder presented a proposed Boardman River Water Trail Development Plan – the outcome of the planning process – to Parks and Recreation commissioners. The plan outlines the importance of balancing “safe recreation with ongoing conservation and restoration efforts” on the Boardman, providing multiple points of public access to the river, maintaining multi-jurisdictional partnerships to maintain and protect the waterway, and respecting private property rights along the river.

The plan also calls for creating an identity around a formal water trail by developing a Boardman River trail map and paddling guide, consistent signage at access points that includes safety recommendations and educational information about the river, and launch site amenities including bathrooms, trash cans, kayak storage, parking and universally accessible watercraft launches.

While the plan calls for potentially expanding the formal water trail from the YMCA to “The Forks” – where the north and south branches of the Boardman converge in Union Township – Burkholder told commissioners public opinions were more divided along that stretch of the river due to its more naturalized environment. Focusing on establishing the water trail along the more urban section to start “makes the most sense given the current use and volume on the river,” said Burkholder. He added that possible projects that could also eventually include improving portage options at the Union Street dam and downtown fish weir. Burkholder said creating formal water trails has been a boon to tourism in communities in southeast Michigan and elsewhere. “The economic development component of this project has huge potential,” he said.

LIAA will next go to the Traverse City and Grand Traverse County commissions and Garfield Township board of trustees to seek support for the water trail.

Slabtown Corner Tennis/Pickleball Courts
Approximately 40 pickleball players crowded commission chambers Thursday to ask Parks and Recreation commissioners to convert two of the four tennis courts at Slabtown Corner on the corner of Division and Bay streets to six pickleball courts.

Board member Rick Meyer of Traverse Area Pickleball Association told the board pickleball players are “running out of places” to play in the community as the sport has exploded in popularity. In addition to TAPA’s 200-plus members, an informal “friendly” pickleball group of 150 members plays seven days a week at Slabtown Corner. Meyer told commissioners pickleball players outnumber tennis players at the courts “easily 10 to one or 20 to 1” and asked to convert some of the courts to better balance pickleball and tennis interests.

Public comment was overwhelmingly in favor of the proposal, though some Cedar Street neighbors asked commissioners to resolve parking issues at the courts and to shield court lights. Parks and Recreation commissioner Sabrina Newton also said she wanted to further study recreational usage at Slabtown Corner and solicit input from tennis players on the proposal. Commissioners voted unanimously to seek a small Rotary seed grant for the purposes of evaluating Slabtown Corner, current usage needs and possible recreational options.

Open Space Mural
Finally, Parks and Recreation commissioners Thursday confirmed their support for the creation of a public mural at the Open Space. The board was approached last summer by an artist interested in painting a mural along the concrete wall curving around the park. They voted unanimously at the time to support the project. It was referred to the city’s Arts Commission, but other projects – including the Bryan Crough memorial – took priority with that board.

After being approached again by the artist, the Arts Commission is ready to make a decision, according to Chair Christie Minervini. With Parks and Recreation reaffirming its support, the Arts Commission will decide at its next meeting whether to have its art selection panel put out a request-for-proposals to artists for an Open Space mural. “We’re trying to prioritize areas in the city where we’d want to see public art, and this is a spot we’ve had many proposals for,” says Minervini.