Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail ribbon cutting held in Port Oneida
From staff reports
The newest section of the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail from Fisher Road, near Glen Arbor, to Port Oneida Road opened Friday May 22, ahead of schedule and just in time for the Memorial Day holiday weekend.
The public is invited to attend the official ribbon cutting for the new section of trail on June 17 at 11 a.m. at the Olsen Farm in Port Oneida, 3164 W Harbor Highway (M-22). Speakers will include: Dusty Shultz, superintendent of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Susan Pocklington, director of Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear and Patty O’Donnell, transportation planner for the Michigan Department of Transportation’s North Region and former project manager for the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail.
“What a ‘ride’ it has been the past 9.5 years, which I call extreme collaboration,” said O’Donnell. “Many people and entities working on the planning, studies, assessments, design engineering, and finally construction of the total 13 miles of a hard surface Trail that is a transportation alternative and recreational facility for this area of Leelanau County.”
The new trail segment adds approximately 3.5 miles to the 9.5 miles of previously completed trail. This portion of trail includes 600 feet of boardwalk over wetlands along the west side of Westman Road and will connect users to the Port Oneida Rural Historic District.
“This third section of the Heritage Trail unfolds yet another opportunity for people to wander and experience another era in the Lakeshore through the Port Oneida historic district,” added Leonard Marzalek from the Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes. “The volunteers for the Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes are embracing this new trail with its rich history and character.”
Fundraising is still underway to complete the trail to Good Harbor. To donate or learn more about the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail, visit www.sleepingbeartrail.org or contact Pam Darling, Development Director for TART Trails (pam@traversetrails.org or 231-941-4300).
