Oakland Township 2012 MNRTF Development Grant Application Paint Creek Trail Connection to Historic Cider Mill, Fishing Platform and Restrooms (4/2/12) B. Paint Creek Trail Connection to Historic Cider Mill, Fishing Platform and Restrooms I. Project Justification and Support A. Need for Project in Relation to Other Facilities and Opportunities including past recreation grants received, the condition of grant-assisted sites, and how the project relates to recreation plan Need for Project in Relation to Other Facilities and Opportunities The only restaurant facility located along the 6+ mile stretch of the Paint Creek Trail between Rochester and Lake Orion is the Paint Creek Cider Mill, located in the hamlet of Goodison. This facility is owned by the Charter Township of Oakland and houses both municipal offices as well as a cider mill concession that is open during the spring, summer and fall seasons. The cider mill café offers trail users the opportunity to buy drinks and food. Unfortunately, Paint Creek separates the trailway from the cider mill and there is not a non-motorized trail connection, forcing bicyclists and pedestrians to use Gallagher Road, alongside automobiles, in order to reach the entrance of the Paint Creek Cider Mill. Along this same stretch of the Paint Creek Trail, between Rochester and Orion Township, the only nearby public restrooms are located inside Oakland Township municipal buildings and therefore unavailable outside the Township’s hours of operation, which are typically 8:00 am – 4:30 pm Monday through Friday. Since the Paint Creek Trail hours of operation are from 6:00 am through 10:00 pm every day of the week there is a need to provide support facilities with hours of operation that would better match the needs of trailway users. Also, currently there is no ADA accessible fishing facility on this stretch of Paint Creek and very limited interpretive signage. This proposed project would fill all of these needs: an accessible pedestrian bridge connection to support facilities at the Paint Creek Cider Mill, a platform for fishing, nature observation and environmental education on Paint Creek, two toilets and an outdoor drinking fountain, and interpretive signage. In the near term the construction of the pedestrian bridge will facilitate a connection between the Paint Creek Trail, the new fishing access and support facilities at the Paint Creek Cider Mill. In the longer term this pedestrian bridge will facilitate connections between the Paint Creek Trail and Oakland Township’s non-motorized network, including proposed pathways along Gallagher Road and along Collins Road. The desired completion of these proposed improvements is shown in the Paint Creek Trail Master Plan, the Oakland Township Parks, Recreation, Land Preservation and Trails Master Plan and the 2012 draft of the Oakland Township Goodison Sub Area Master Plan; and as a result this proposed project is enthusiastically supported. The 2009-2013 Paint Creek Trailways Commission Recreation Master Plan shows this project’s proposed connector on page 135 as a high priority 2009 capital improvement project based upon the plan’s following goals and objectives stated on pages 110-112: 1 Oakland Township 2012 MNRTF Development Grant Application Paint Creek Trail Connection to Historic Cider Mill, Fishing Platform and Restrooms (4/2/12) Goal: Provide a Safe and Enjoyable Environment which encourages Acceptable Use Objectives: *Accommodating major Trail uses by pedestrians and bicyclists by working with the Charter Township of Oakland to construct a pedestrian foot bridge over the Paint Creek to connect the Trail to the Trail Office rest area. *Accommodating angler access to stream at desirable locations, while minimizing erosion and promoting appropriate fishing access points. *Improve accessibility of trail for all persons by identifying suitable ADA accessible areas and including specific improvements in plans for those areas. Goal: Identify the need for or the desirability of user facilities and rest areas along or adjacent to the Trail Objectives: *Develop viewing areas, enhanced near scenic areas, so users may enjoy nature. *Develop restroom facilities in each community, as needed, for Trail users to utilize while on trail. *Develop drinking fountains or access to drinking water at various points along the Trail for Trail users. This project’s proposed fishing facility is consistent with goals included in the MDNR Fisheries Division Clinton River Assessment. Along Paint Creek, it will be the first fishing facility directly connected to accessible spaces in a designated Paint Creek Trailway parking lot; providing creek access to people with a wide variety of abilities and interests including fishing, nature observation, environmental education or relaxation. This proposed fishing platform would add a fishing access to a desirable stretch of Paint Creek. The only other universally accessible fishing facility on Paint Creek will be located 2+ miles north near the Adams Road intersection. This section of Paint Creek is popular with local fisher people but it has been difficult for them to get down to the creek’s floodplain elevation of while carrying their equipment and cutting through dense woody vegetation at the same time. In addition to facilitating creek access, this ramp and platform will direct fisher people to this one access site; greatly reducing ad hoc trails which can lead to increased vegetation trampling and streamside erosion in the Paint Creek floodplain. This project will also provide universally accessible interpretive signage would be installed at a creek side viewing area located between the proposed pedestrian bridge and the fishing platform. Facing the creek, the sign could describe the creek and floodplain habitats as well as the specific plants and wildlife found there. This sign will be designed to visually display information at a height and angle and in alternative formats that are easily understood by most users. The sign will also include auditory information. Describe how project relates to Oakland Township’s 5-year recreation plan. This proposed project is consistent with Oakland Township’s 2010-2014 Parks, Recreation, Land Preservation and Trails Master Plan goals, objectives and capital improvement plan. The Township's 2 Oakland Township 2012 MNRTF Development Grant Application Paint Creek Trail Connection to Historic Cider Mill, Fishing Platform and Restrooms (4/2/12) current non-motorized system includes 13.6 miles of existing pathways and the majority of the Paint Creek Trail, (the first rail trail in Michigan, established in 1983). This proposed project, to build a pedestrian bridge across Paint Creek to connect the Paint Creek Trail with Paint Creek Cider Mill support facilities, is listed on page 94 of the 5-year plan as a high priority 2014 capital improvement project. This project is included on page 86 under the plan’s Trails and Path Strategy 6.3 “Collaborate with a variety of commission, agencies and groups to implement the Trails Master Plan approved by the Township (which is shown as appendix A in the 2010-2014 Master Plan and is attached) specifically citing the objective of providing greater access to parks, Paint Creek Trail and Urban areas.” The recommendation in the 5-year plan was based on the results of the 2009 Township-wide survey and an evaluation of current and future facilities improvements. On page 73 the Trails Facilities Analysis indicates that based on national guidelines, survey results and evaluation of current and future facilities improvements, the Township should provide better connectivity between trails, facilities, restrooms, and drinking fountains. Specifically, the results of the 2009 Township-wide Parks and Recreation Community Attitude and Interest Survey, seen in Appendix E of the master plan, support this project’s proposed recreation uses. 59% of survey respondents indicated that the greatest need that they have for trail amenities is for additional restrooms and 35% or respondents indicated that the second greatest need is for drinking fountains. Moreover, the destinations that respondents indicated would be most important to access from proposed trails and pathways included: Paint Creek Trail (78%), parks/natural areas (54%) and urban areas (41%); all of which are destinations for this project’s proposed trail connection. Describe each grant-assisted site within Township parks system Grant-funded projects within the Township’s park system include the following projects, of which none provide the direct trail connection to user support facilities or the creek fishing access in the 6+ mile stretch where the current proposed project will be located. The 2001 acquisition and 2009/2010 development of Marsh View Park includes a beginner archery range, trails, a wetland observation deck, sports fields, a basketball court and support facilities. All facilities, with the exception of the sports fields that must rest until 2012, were opened to the public in fall 2010. The 2002 development of Bear Creek Nature Park included barrier-free limestone trails, boardwalks, observation decks, a playground, a picnic pavilion, and support facilities. Nature 3 Oakland Township 2012 MNRTF Development Grant Application Paint Creek Trail Connection to Historic Cider Mill, Fishing Platform and Restrooms (4/2/12) programs, stewardship workdays, summer outdoor concerts, and a fall festival are held regularly at this park. The 2004 acquisition of Lost Lake Nature Park preserves this park’s glacial