Beaver Island Water Trail meeting Monday, June 19 at 7 p.m.

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LIAA
Posts: 19
Joined: Wed Aug 24, 2016 12:23 pm
Location: Traverse City, Michigan
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Beaver Island Water Trail meeting Monday, June 19 at 7 p.m.

Post by LIAA »

Come give your input on a water trail planning effort for Beaver Island on Monday, June 19, at 7 p.m. at the Community Center. Attendees will be asked to help identify potential access sites and identify community assets that could be featured as part of the water trail system.

A water trail is a recreational paddling route along a lake, river, canal or bay designed to serve people using small boats like kayaks, canoes and stand-up paddleboards (SUPs). Interest in water trails has exploded along with the rising popularity of paddlesports, and Michigan now boasts approximately 2,850 miles of coastal water trails â?? covering nearly every mile of coastline on both the Upper and Lower Peninsulas â?? as well as about 1,280 miles of inland water trails.

The meeting will include an introduction to the water-trail planning process and information on universal accessibility for paddlers of all ages and abilities.

The Beaver Island Water Trail planning effort is largely funded by grants from the Michigan Department of Environmental Qualityâ??s Coastal Zone Management Program (CZMP) and Charlevoix County. Additional funding is being provided by Peaine Township, St. James Township and the Beaver Island Association, with in-kind support provided by the Preservation Association of Beaver Island.

The project is being led by the Land Information Access Association (LIAA), a nonprofit community development organization based in Traverse City. LIAA has extensive experience helping communities leverage their recreational assets for economic development, and recently published a state guidebook on water trails, the Michigan Water Trails Manual, available to download for free at http://www.michiganwatertrails.org/manual . For more about LIAA visit http://www.liaa.org .

Contact

Harry Burkholder, Executive Director
Land Information Access Association (LIAA)
(231) 929-3696
burkholder@liaa.org
Pam Grassmick
Posts: 637
Joined: Wed Nov 26, 2008 4:07 pm
Location: Beaver Island

Post by Pam Grassmick »

This public planning meeting will also be attended by Matt Smar, Coastal Community Development Specialist for Michigan's Department of Enviromental Quality and Cindy Burkhour of Access to Recreation. They are attending to gather your ideas and how they can assist move the water trails process forward. See you there!
McGrass
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