ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – Escanaba’s Municipal Marina, Aronson Island Boat Launch, and North Shore Boat Launch are officially open just in time for walleye Season.
Annual passes for both boat launches are available for $45, and daily passes cost $4. Passes can be purchased weekdays at the marina from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. or at the Catherine Bonifas Civic Center from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Marina slipholder numbers are coming in a bit slow to start. However, Escanaba Recreation Director and Harbormaster Kim Peterson expects the marina to get much busier throughout the season.
“Last year, we had almost 100 seasonal slips that came in for the season,” she said. “This year, we’re at about 55% of that already confirmed and paid for the season. Some people will get their boats out of storage and come and see us later on. Of course, there’s the high gas prices, and our seasonal slips did go up this year 7%. Those could be factors, but last year, we started out slow and then got busier as the season went on.”
To identify any needed updates or improvements, the Recreation Advisory Board and Harbor Advisory Committee are crafting a five-year plan. Peterson says they are looking for input from the public.
“We’re excited for both of those boards to work together and come up with a document that we can use,” she said. “We don’t want it to sit on the shelf; we want a usable document. It’s a great opportunity to list projects and get the public involved to get their priorities. Once we get those items together, we will rate them at a public meeting. Of course, it’s extremely important for the public to get involved because these projects are for them.”
Community members are encouraged to complete the City’s recreation survey, which can be done by clicking here. Anyone with questions can contact the Recreation Department at (906) 786-4141.
The Municipal Marina is also offering its yellow bike program once again, now with three-wheel bikes. After filling out a form and presenting identification, residents and visitors can take a bike during office hours at no charge.
The Escanaba Municipal Marina is located at 17 Water Plant Road. Hours of operation will be extended in June.
