A crew of volunteers spent hours Saturday at the old mill in Village of Leonard demolishing and clearing away a large portion of the historic structure in order to make way for a future park.
They were able to remove most of the front portion, which used to be the beanery. It had become, as village President Mike McDonald described it, an ‘unattractive nuisance.?
‘It’s structurally unsound and it’s an eyesore,? he said. ‘The community doesn’t need to see that any longer than it’s already put up with it.?
As for the grain elevator portion, it’s stable and was left standing, so it can be repaired and preserved for future generations to appreciate and use as an educational tool to learn about the community’s past.
‘We know we need to do some foundation repair, but we’re told that’s relatively minor,? McDonald said.
The plan is to turn the old mill, constructed in the late 19th century, and the 0.28-acre parcel on which it sits into the Leonard Mill Park.
Leonard purchased the site, located at E. Elmwood and W. Division streets, adjacent to the Polly Ann Trail, in May 2014 using a mix of municipal funds and grant money from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (MNRTF).
Community efforts to save the old mill began in 2010.
Officials are currently waiting to hear back about two grants they’ve applied for ? $300,000 from the MNRTF and $300,000 from the Michigan Department of Transportation/Southeast Michigan Council of Governments Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP).
‘If we get both of those grants, we’re going to cleanup and re-side part of the mill because we’re going to add public bathrooms on the south side,? McDonald said.
Building permanent, handicap-accessible restroom facilities, along with the necessary, septic, well and electrical systems for them, is a significant part of the plan for the grant money.
The restrooms would be open year-round to both trail users and the general public.
Grant money would also be used for landscape and streetscape improvements around the old mill as well as repairs to the grain elevator’s foundation, according to McDonald.
Leonard has already received an $8,000 grant from the Almont-based Four County Community Foundation, plus a $1,000 personal donation from Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson.
The money will be used to repair the grain elevator’s roof, which has a large hole in it.
‘We’re hoping to do it by the end of August,? McDonald said. ‘That’s our plan at this point.?
Leonard has been working closely with Oakland County Economic Development and Community Affairs on the mill park project.
Kristen Wiltfang, a senior planner with the county, spent time Saturday assisting with the demolition/cleanup efforts.
‘I think it’s a great historic structure right next to the trail,? she said. ‘It will be a great amenity for the community. There’s excellent community involvement (with this project), which is nice to see.?
‘There’s just not many (of these structures) around, so it’s great to see work being done on it,? Wiltfang noted.
McDonald wished to express his gratitude to everyone who’s contributed to the mill preservation/park project.
‘None of this would be happening without the volunteers we’ve gotten,? he said. ‘Everybody showing up and helping has really made a huge difference in getting the project accomplished. I really would be remiss not to mention that.?
‘These folks are literally making it happen,? McDonald continued. ‘We’re not spending money from the village budget or anything beyond what these people have been willing to donate to us.?
To learn more about the project, please visit www.leonardmill.com