Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


Pathways, boardwalks, playgrounds, pools, and more will be improved with this year’s Land and Water Conservation Fund grants – with some in the WHMI listening area.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources announced that 13 community recreation facilities projects are being recommended for a combined $11.9 (m) million in grants.

DNR Director Scott Bowen said “This year, the Land and Water Conservation Fund is directing just under $12 million in federal funds through the state of Michigan to local park improvements, acquisitions and development”. He said it provides a valuable injection of funds into local communities for important recreation-related projects.

The projects recommended for funding are in Oakland, Barry, Benzie, Berrien, Houghton, Kalamazoo, Kent, Macomb, Oceana, Van Buren, and Wayne Counties.
Funding will support replacing dilapidated play structures, restroom buildings, developing multi-use sport courts, an outdoor community pool, and more.

In the local area, the City of Dearborn was awarded $500,000 for a new splash pad at Camp Dearborn. The City operates the 626-acre public park and campground in Milford. It currently features a swimming pool and a beach, and the splash pad will be new with multiple features.

White Lake Township will receive $500,000 for improvements to Stanley Park. It’s currently closed for the first of a construction project to develop the largely undeveloped 59-acre former private campground property on Brendal Lake. The project aims to provide infrastructure to access the water, establish trails, and provide accessible community recreation opportunities among the natural features.

Additional 2025 Land and Water Conservation Fund recommendations are:

-Village of Lawerence (Van Buren County) Lawrence Village Park Playground Improvements $301,200.

-City of Kalamazoo (Kalamazoo County) Milham Park Improvements $500,000.

-St. Joseph Charter Township (Berrien County) Eaton Park Restroom and Park Improvements $359,000.

-City of Farmington Hills (Oakland County) Heritage Park Playground and Parking $500,000.

-City of Ferndale (Oakland County) Martin Road Park Playground Replacement $150,000.

-City of East Grand Rapids (Kent County) Waterfront Park Improvement Project Phase 2 $500,000.

-Shelby Township (Oceana County) Shelby Community Pool $500,000.

-Village of Elberta (Benzie County) Terminus Park Acquisition $5,347,600.

-Macomb Township (Malcomb County) Lucido River Park Pathway and Boardwalk Project $500,000.

-DNR Parks and Recreation Division (Bay County) Bay City State Park Campground Utilities Upgrades $1,250,000.

-DNR Parks and Recreation Division (Houghton) Houghton Douglass Falls Phase 2 Development $1,000,000.


Projects were scored and selected from a field of 11 grant applications from local units of government and 2 applications from the DNR totaling $11,907,800. All eligible proposed projects received a site visit from DNR Grants Management staff, and all applications were evaluated, scored and ranked.

Funds are available to states through the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund program for land acquisition and development of outdoor recreation facilities.

The DNR uses Land and Water Conservation Fund dollars to help develop public outdoor recreation facilities to give people better, broader access to quality public outdoor recreation opportunities. The program supports Native American tribes, villages, cities, townships and counties and divisions within the DNR.

Following federal appropriation, LWCF funds are apportioned to the states each fiscal year, and then, the state’s project recommendations are sent to the National Park Service for approval.