GLADSTONE, Mich. (WZMQ) – Last winter, the City of Gladstone approved a proposal for a new multi-use trail at the John & Melissa Besse Sports Park. Work is now underway, and the nonprofit responsible for the project is raising money to see it through to completion.
Along the perimeter of the park, Delta County Nonmotorized Trails (DCNT) is installing a three-mile single-track loop called the Gladstone Community Bike Park.
“We’ve got the trail roughed in right now,” said DCNT President Charles Shurlow. “We’re laying down some gravel. We need a little bit more gravel to kind of get a good base for the trail. We’ve trimmed it with volunteer help.”
The goal is to build a beginner-to-intermediate pump track and—funding permitting—bike skills features like rollers and seesaws.
“We’ve talked about doing some type of a jump trail over by the ski hill, which would add distance to this full trail system,” Shurlow said, “so it would be about four miles.”
The nonprofit is pursuing a $300,000 Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grant. Locally, members are working to raise $50,000 in matching funds.
“We’re probably 20% of the way there at the moment,” Shurlow said. “Some of the local corporations have been donating money. It’s great to see. Trying to get a little bit more involvement in the outdoors locally, with more folks getting out, being healthy, enjoying the trail systems in general.”
With Besse Sports Park being near some of the area schools and a short drive from the downtown, Shurlow says it is an ideal location for a bike park.
“Kids, we’re competing with their cell phones and their tablets,” he said. “In Northern Michigan and the U.P., we need to be outside. We need to enjoy this beautiful outdoors that we have. The colors are popping right now, so this is a great time to be outside. That’s where I know I want to be. Hopefully, most of these kids want to be outside playing.”
Although it is unfinished, the trail is already open for walking. DCNT says the project is designed to enhance Gladstone’s natural resources.
“I would like them to come out, check out the trail,” said Shurlow. “You can walk your dogs on it, but we’re going to continue to work it with those volunteer hours until we can get to a point where we can get grant money and outside help.”
To learn more about supporting the Gladstone Community Bike Park financially, visit dcntrails.com.
