A chance to 'enjoy the water': Beach park in Clay Twp. getting closer as county awaits design proposals

With its islands, Clay Township Supervisor Artie Bryson said the community has more than 100 miles of shoreline.

But someday soon, roughly 300 feet of shoreline will belong to a public swimming beach — another stamp on what the local official described as vital to the township’s recreation identity.

The state has approved more than $1.4 million in Michigan Department of Natural Resource funds for the project. The money will be used to purchase several acres neighboring the MDNR boat launch off Pointe Tremble Road on the North Channel of the St. Clair River for development of a St. Clair County park.

Meanwhile, county officials await preliminary engineering and design proposals for the park itself.

Bryson said the development has been a bucket list item since before he was elected in 2012. Although the county hasn’t announced completion plans, he said he hopes the park is accessible in 2022 when the township celebrates its 200th anniversary.

“We’re a recreational community, and our businesses depend on it. This will attract out-of-town people, which will ultimately help our businesses,” he said while looking out over the North Channel Wednesday. “Plus, it’s amazing — Clay Township, we have so much shoreline. But if you don’t live on the water, there’s really not too many places for residents to enjoy the water, and this is to kind of give them an avenue to do so.”

County finalizing details this summer, fall

Plans to bring a county park to Clay Township have been years in the making.

Past negotiations for buying property in the area fell through before the latest effort kicked off in early 2020 when the county board approved a $1.7 million purchase agreement through Six Rivers Land Conservancy, an agency that's helped secure property for other county parks. The township kicked in $300,000 to help, and the $1.4 million MDNR Trust Fund grant request was approved late last year. 

Now, Mark Brochu, the county’s outgoing parks and recreation director, said he expected details to be finalized this summer and fall as the county parks commission looks for proposals for engineering and design.

This spring, he said the county also submitted another grant application to help buy an additional parcel on the northeast corner of the proposed park.                                         

With no beach access between New Baltimore and Marine City, Brochu said rec leaders have spent “a lot of time researching and investigating and talking to permitting agencies about how and when a swimming beach could be achieved on that property.” Like Bryson and other officials, he said he was glad to see the project finally moving forward — and especially so before his retirement June 1.  

“It’s always rewarding to bring a project to fruition,” he said. “We’re one step closer. I’m going to continue to help with the project a little bit after retirement. It’s an important project. … We’ve been working on it for a number of years. It’s always neat to preserve park properties for current and future generations.”

Moving forward, Brochu said there would be a chance for public input from stakeholders like Clay Township, as well as the public.

A straightforward process, he said it’s likely to be a similar vision as Fort Gratiot County Park, where there are basic restroom features.  

Looping new park with township rec plans?

The county park comes as the township pursues other recreation projects, including finishing the Pearl Beach Fishing Pier and the addition of a handicapped-accessible kayak launch and nature walk at the Harsens Island Nature Park.

On the latter, Bryson said he’d also like to include an archery range and 20-some-foot-high perch for visitors to look out over the marsh.  

The supervisor said because the township played a “pretty big part on the initial purchase” of the future county park, they wanted to loop the site into their regular plans.

“I foresee us having maybe some of our Music in the Park (events) here,” he said Wednesday. “We can do a luau on the beach. … We’re going to keep it busy with lots of activities, that’s for sure. Just naturally, it’s going to attract a lot of people. This is going to be one of the jewels of south St. Clair County.”

“The good thing about this property, the way the current runs, there’s a natural sandbar out there already. You can walk out a hundred-plus feet and be in waist-deep water. So, it will hold the beach real well,” Bryson said. “… We’re pretty excited about the whole project.”

Contact Jackie Smith at jssmith@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @Jackie20Smith.