GLADSTONE, Mich. (WZMQ) – The City of Gladstone is planning several parks and recreation projects this spring and summer. The Department of Parks & Recreation is also looking for seasonal help to keep the city beautiful.
The department is hiring part-time workers to assist with upkeep and beautification across the city.
“It ranges from the campground, the harbor, the beach,” said Parks & Recreation Director Jason Davis. “This year, we’re actually contracting out, for a second year in a row, the beach lifeguards through the Y. We also hire for the parks maintenance, concession stand workers.”
Seasonal workers also take care of Downtown Gladstone, preparing and tending to flowerbeds, sweeping sidewalks, and cleaning up the streets.
“It’s basically making the downtown attractive so visitors or community members enjoy being down there,” Davis said.
Several projects are in the works across the city, including expanding pickleball courts, batting cages, and campground sites. Davis says the Gladstone Bay Campground is the biggest draw for tourists.
“Anytime you go down there on the weekend, you see campers from all different parts of the country,” he said. “People rave about our facilities.”
The department’s main project this year is restoring sections of boardwalk that became unusable due to high water levels in 2019. Davis says it will allow both locals and tourists to enjoy more of Little Bay de Noc.
“It’s low land; it’s kind of a swampy area,” he said. “There’s a diverse ecosystem out there. People like to see different birds, different fish. It’s an excellent path along the lakeshore that wouldn’t be accessible without a boardwalk.”
Davis says the Department of Parks & Recreation is looking to secure grant funding for the boardwalk project.
The department is also developing a Friends of Gladstone volunteer group for citizens who want to make their city a better place to live and play.
“People can sign up to help with various projects that they’re interested in, all toward a common goal to make this one of the best waterfront communities in the U.P.,” said Davis. “It’s a little bay community, but we have a lot to offer.”
Those interested in joining the Friends of Gladstone Club can call the department at (906) 428-9222. To apply for a seasonal job at the Department of Parks & Recreation, click here.
