Thanks to the Canada-based Enbridge company, Addison Township will be able to enhance public recreational opportunities on one of the community’s scenic lakes.
Last week, Enbridge donated $15,000 toward the installation of a handicap-accessible dock on Lake George.
‘We’d like to put it in sometime this spring,? said township Supervisor Bruce Pearson.
Although everyone will be able to utilize the dock for fishing and other purposes, Pearson noted it will be specially designed to give disabled individuals wishing to canoe or kayak the ability to easily enter and exit both their craft and the water.
‘We told Enbridge what we wanted to do and they thought it was a really worthwhile project,? he said. ‘They have one of these docks on Lost Lake in Oakland Township.?
Addison came to own three-quarters of the shoreline along Lake George when in 2010, it purchased 80 acres of land located at the northeast corner of Leonard and Haven roads.
Known locally as the Trask property, the township added this land to its park system using a $428,000 grant from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund. Wetlands and hardwood trees are abundant on the sprawling property, which contains the headwaters of both the Clinton and Bell rivers.
Pearson said Enbridge’s donation ‘sped up the process (of developing this park) by leaps and bounds.?
‘They’ve really given us a head start on putting all the facilities that we need in there,? he said. ‘I’m just happy they’re making a difference for us.?
Pearson felt Lake George was the ideal spot for this dock because no motorized watercraft are allowed on it.
‘That’s a nice quiet lake,? he said. ‘It’s small and it’s peaceful.?
From fishing to wildlife viewing, Pearson said, ‘It’s the perfect place for enjoying nature.?
This was Enbridge’s second significant contribution to Addison’s park system.
The company previously awarded a $25,000 grant to the township, which was used last year to construct restroom facilities in the 229-acre Watershed Preserve Park, located north of Leonard.