Mason County Recreation Plan

MASON COUNTY
Recreation Plan: 2013-2017 – DRAFT (October 10, 2012)

prepared by the

Mason County Parks and Recreation Commission
with assistance by Spicer Group, Inc.

Mason County
Recreation Plan: 2013-2017

Board of Commissioners
Lewis Squires – Chair Rich Morong
Joe Lenius – Vice-Chair Thomas Posma
Susan Boes Mary Nichols
Robert Erickson Curtis VanderWall
Charles Lange Jeffrey Barnett

Parks and Recreation Commission
Donald Gall - Chair Nick Matish
David MacClean – Vice Chair Ed McCumber
David Hasenbank – Secretary Jeffrey Schwass
Steve Begnoche Curtis VanderWall
Steve Dvorak Debbie Roberts – Park Manager
Bruce Patterson

Prepared by:
Mason County
Parks and Recreation Commission
304 East Ludington Avenue
Ludington, MI 49431
(231) 843-8202
www.masoncounty.net

With assistance by:
Spicer Group, Inc.
230 South Washington Avenue
Saginaw, MI 48607
(989) 754-4717
www.spicergroup.com

119749SG2012

Table of Contents

I. Introduction ............................................................................................................. 1

II. Community Description........................................................................................... 3

III. Administrative Structure ........................................................................................... 7

IV. Recreation and Resource Inventories ..................................................................... 10

V. Public Input ........................................................................................................... 34

VI. Action Program ...................................................................................................... 44

VII. Planning Process .................................................................................................... 52

VIII. Appendix A – Sports Participation Trends .............................................................. 54

IX. Appendix B – Public Input Documentation ........................................................... 75

Mason County Recreation Plan: 2013-2017 i

Introduction

This Recreation Plan is a guide for action. Mason County endeavors to fulfill the changing
recreational needs of its residents. Quality development and efficient management of its
parks and recreational facilities is a priority. To that end, this document forms the basis to
guide policy for implementation of improvements and new initiatives that will meet the
recreational goals and interests of the Mason County community.

Before any recreation plan is adopted and enacted, it is first important to understand what
the needs of the residents are, what recreational opportunities already exist, and what sort
of projects are relevant for residents based on age, ability, population, density, and the
availability of recreational opportunities in neighboring communities. This plan, through
the cooperation of Spicer Group and the Mason County Parks and Recreation Commission,
has carefully considered input and suggestions via active communication from County
residents, County officials, and other community stakeholders. This input is a critical

Mason County Recreation Plan: 2013-2017 1

component to this plan, and, together, the voices of Mason County have united to develop
a recreation plan to enhance the quality of life for everyone.

Broadly speaking, Mason County officials intend to use this plan to guide their work on all
future recreational and parks projects within the county. It is also a strategic document that
articulates specific goals to various agencies and organizations that fund local recreational
and parks improvement projects. Specifically, this plan is developed in accordance with
the guidelines for Community Park, Recreation, Open Space, and Greenway Plans
published by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR). A five-year, DNR-
approved recreation plan is necessary for Mason County to pursue DNR-administered
grants.

This Recreation Plan is written for a single county, Mason County. It covers all aspects of
recreation within the community.
Ludington Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Plant Reservoir.
Visitors to the Mason County Picnic Area learn about the


Community Description

Mason County is located on the shore of Lake Michigan in central lower Michigan, at
approximately 44° 1′ 12″ N (latitude), 86° 30′ 0″ W (longitude), occupying 1,241 square
miles. See Figure 1. The county is approximately 70 miles south of Traverse City and
about 90 miles north of Grand Rapids. Adjacent counties include Manistee County to the
north, Lake County to the east, Newaygo County at the southeast corner, and Oceana
County on the south. Lake Michigan forms the western boundary for Mason County,
providing residents with over 28 miles of freshwater shoreline. Organized in 1855, Mason
County was named after the first Governor of Michigan, Stevens Thomas Mason. The City
of Ludington is the county seat.

Prominent features of the landscape include the aforementioned 28 miles of Lake Michigan
shoreline and large areas of farmland and forest. The Lake Michigan shoreline features
extensive bluff and dune areas. Rivers and streams flow through Mason County, from east
to west, and empty into Lake Michigan. There are also many small lakes scattered
throughout the county. Hamlin Lake, the largest lake in Mason County, sits behind a dam


Mason County

Figure 1: Mason County is located in central lower Michigan on
Lake Michigan. (Data: Michigan Geographic Data Library)


and the dunes at Ludington State Park. Small wetlands dot the landscape. Many other
wetlands in the agricultural areas were drained long ago. Most of the privately owned
shoreline of Lake Michigan and the inland lakes are developed with cottages, seasonal and
year-around homes. The City of Ludington is a small port city, where tourists and industry
co-exist. Ludington’s waterfront is largely dedicated to deep water facilities and industry,
but is converting to marinas, parks, and some residential uses. Highways are also
important in Mason County. US-31 stretches north from Muskegon to US-10 just east of
Ludington. US-10 extends from Ludington nearly due east to the county line and beyond
to Clare and Bay City. US-31 splits from US-10 at Scottville and extends north to the
county line and the City of Manistee a short distance farther. Scottville is a small city in the
center of the county. The County contains three rural villages, Custer, Fountain and Free
Soil. There are also fifteen townships in Mason County.

People Mason County has a population of 28,705 according to the 2010 U.S. Census. This
is a slight increase over 2000, when the population was 28,274 people. This growth of
430 people is an increase of 1.5%. During this same period, Michigan’s population
decreased by 0.6%. Figure 2 shows the distribution of population and the median age
throughout Mason County. Four of the twenty communities in the county comprise over
half (57%) of the county’s population. Those communities are the City of Ludington
(8,076), Hamlin Township (3,408), Pere Marquette Charter Township (2,366), and Amber
Township (2,535).

The median age of Mason County residents is 45.1 years. This is considerably older than
the median age for the state of Michigan, which is 37.6 years. An older population may
have different needs in terms of recreational programs and facilities.

Housing According to the 2010 U.S. Census, there are 17,293 housing units in Mason
County. More than 4,000 of these (4,051) are designated for seasonal, recreational, or
occasional use. This number is significant because it means that the population of the
County can swell be several thousand during peak vacation times. Further, seasonal
residents of the community are another special population with unique needs in terms of
recreational facilities. Most of these seasonal residents have chosen there second homes
because of the recreational and natural resource opportunities that are available nearby. It


is very important to these seasonal residents that those facilities and resources by preserved
and maintained.

Income The median household income in Mason County was $40,039, according to the
2006-2010 American Community Survey Estimates. This compares to $48,432 for the
state of Michigan. Approximately 15% of the County population had income that fell
below the poverty level.

Percent of
Population Median Age
County Total

Amber Township 2,535 8.8% 45.10

Branch Township 1,328 4.6% 44.30

Village of Custer 284 1.0% 45.30

Balance of Custer Township* 970 3.4% 45.10

Eden Township 582 2.0% 43.00

Village of Free Soil 144 0.5% 44.40

Balance of Free Soil Township* 678 2.4% 47.50

Grant Township 909 3.2% 48.90

Hamlin Township 3,408 11.9% 49.70

Logan Township 312 1.1% 55.70

Meade Township 181 0.6% 49.10

Pere Marquette Charter Township 2,366 8.2% 45.30

Riverton Township 1,153 4.0% 44.30

Village of Fountain 193 0.7% 37.80

Balance of Sheridan Township* 1,072 3.7% 47.90

Sherman Township 993 3.5% 42.10

Summit Township 924 3.2% 52.30

Victory Township 1,383 4.8% 40.90

City of Ludington 8,076 28.1% 43.00

City of Scottville 1,214 4.2% 35.10

Mason County 28,705 100% 45.10

* Village listed immediately above is included in official Data: U.S. Census
census count for the township

Figure 2: Median age and distribution of population in Mason
County.


Administrative Structure

The Mason County Parks and Recreation Commission is a 10-member body established as
provided by state law and has been delegated the responsibility for planning and
administration of recreational services by and for the county. Members include the
chairman of the Road Commission, the Drain Commissioner, Chair of the Planning
Commission, a member of the County Board, and six members from the public at large
appointed by the County Board whose terms are for three years. Generally, at the first
meeting of each year, a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson, and a Secretary are elected to act
for the Mason County Parks and Recreation Commission. The Commission lays out the
capital improvement plans for the parks. The Commission holds four meetings a year, and
if needed, the Chairperson will call special meetings. The Parks and Recreation
Commission is responsible for maintenance and development of the parks in Mason
County and employs two seasonal full time staff members and three part time employees.
Seasonal employees include a Manager, Ranger, and three Assistant Rangers who work at


the Campground and Picnic Area. Volunteers provide crucial support to many programs
and activities in the county. The Commission uses volunteers throughout the year to
maintain facilities at the Campground and the Disc Golf Course. The organizational chart
in Figure 3 shows the structure of parks and recreation administration in Mason County.

The budgets for operations & maintenance and capital improvements are shown in Figure
4. Funding for these operations comes from registrations, user fees, and annual
contributions from the Ludington Pumped Storage Plant. The Ludington Pumped Storage
Plant owns two parks in Mason County and has a long-term agreement with the Parks and

Mason County
Board of Commissioners

Buildings, Grounds,
Airport, Zoning,
Planning, Agriculture,
County Parks and Recreation Commission Equalization – Town,
Administrator Tax, Liaison to
Fairgrounds Committee
Parks Manager

Full Time Seasonal Employees Disc Golf Organization

Campground R/C Flying Field

Picnic Area Volunteers

Figure 3: Parks and recreation administration in Mason County.
CHECK TJH


Recreation Commission that guaranteed, beginning in 2000 when the 20-year lease was
signed between the county and the pumped storage plant, an annual donation of $10,000
for capital improvements and $20,000 for park operations. These monies are to be used
by the county only for park operations and improvements, and are adjusted annually by
the Consumer Price Index (CPI). In 2012, the Ludington Pumped Storage Plant donated
$12,230 for capital improvements and $27,306 for park operations. The Parks and
Recreation Commission does not provide any programming services.

Figure 4: Mason County parks and recreation budget.
Operation & Programming Capital
Maintenance Improvements
2011 $00,000 $0 $00,000

2012 $27,306 $0 $13,230
West Chauvez Road approximately five miles south
The Mason County Campground is located at 5906

of Ludington.


Recreation and Resource Inventories

An inventory of the existing Mason County parks and natural resources was completed
using the information provided by the county. It was verified with field checking and
review from the Parks and Recreation Commission. The county operates two park facilities
that are owned by the Ludington Pumped Storage Plant. Mason County also owns the
Mason County Fairgrounds and two parcels of property that are not currently developed.
Figure 5 shows generalized locations of parks, facilities, and undeveloped land currently
owned and administered by Mason County. Included is the Community Ice Arena at West
Shore Community College in Victory Township. An inventory of all county-owned parks
and facilities is provided on page 12. Part of this section of the plan includes additional
information to support the inventory, each contributing to a broader understanding of
recreation available in Mason County. Included are park descriptions, a recreation grant
history, accessibility analysis, other parks and facilities, comparison to standards, sports
participation trends, inventory of natural resources, and tourism impacts.


Classification of County Parks
A recommended classification system for local and regional recreation open space
includes the following four types of parks. In Mason County, there are two developed park
properties, both of which are considered Large Urban Parks. The Community Ice Arena at
West Shore Community College is also considered a Community Park.

Figure 5: Generalized locations of parks, facilities, and undeveloped land currently owned and administered by the
Mason County Parks and Recreation Commission.


Mason County Parks and Recreation Inventory

Acreage
Classification
Service Area
Owner
Disc Golf
Playground
Pavilion
Restrooms
Ice Skating
Nature Trail
Grills
Campsites
Camper Cabins
Beach Area
River Access
Location
Other
Accessibility*

County Parks
Field for radio
County & Ludington Pumped Pere Marquette
Mason County Campground 60 UP 1 1 X X X 54 ? controlled 2
Beyond Storage Plant Charter Tw p
airplanes

Mason County Recreation Plan: 2013-2017
County & Ludington Pumped Pere Marquette
Mason County Picnic Area 150 UP 3 1 1 X X 2
Beyond Storage Plant Charter Tw p

Big Sauble River Property 6 un N/A Mason County X Free Soil Tw p N/A

Pere Marquette
Inman Road Property 34 un N/A Mason County N/A
Charter Tw p

Community
center, three
Mason County (leased
County & Pere Marquette horse arenas,
Mason County Fairgrounds 50 N/A to Western Michigan X 115 2
Beyond Charter Tw p grand stand
Fair Association)
w ith 3,500
seats
Other
Gym,
West Shore Community Ice County &
CP Mason County X 1 Victory Tw p sw imming 3
Arena Beyond
pool

Totals 300 3 2 2 Yes 1 2 Yes 169 0 1

* See plan narrative under "Accessibility" for explanation of numeric code.
Classification:
CP = Community Park
NP = Neighborhood Park
MP = Mini-Park
UP = Large Urban Park

12
un = undeveloped

Mini-Parks address limited, isolated, or unique recreational needs. They are usually
between 2,500-square feet and one acre in size.

Neighborhood Parks are often considered the basic unit of a park system. They serve as
the recreational and social focus of the neighborhood. Their intended service area is ¼ to
½ mile distance and uninterrupted by non-residential roads and other physical barriers.
They are generally 5 to 10 acres in size.

Community Parks serve a broader purpose than neighborhood parks. Their focus is on
meeting community-based recreation needs, as well as preserving unique landscapes and
open spaces. They are usually between 30 and 50 acres and serve a radius of ½ to 3 mile
distance. The Community Ice Arena at West Shore Community College in Victory
Township is considered a Community Park.

Large Urban Parks serve a broader purpose than community parks and are used when
community parks and neighborhood parks are not adequate to serve local needs. They
generally serve the entire community and are a minimum of 50 acres. The Mason County
Campground and the Mason County Picnic Area are considered Large Urban Parks.

Description of County Park Lands
Mason County Campground and the Mason County Picnic Area The Ludington Pumped
Storage Plant, jointly owned by Consumers Energy and Detroit Edison, owns these two
parks and has a 20-year lease agreement with the Parks and Recreation Commission
requiring each party to certain terms. The original lease term began in 1974, upon the
completion of construction of the two parks. This lease expired in December of 1999 and
was extended for 20 more years, ending in 2019.

Written into the1999 lease was an agreement that the Ludington Pumped Storage Plant
would complete three improvement projects. First, it would rebuild the bath house at the
Mason County Campground and bring it into ADA compliance. Second would be an
upgrade to the pavilion at the Mason County Picnic Area, bringing that building up to ADA
specifications. And finally, the Ludington Pumped Storage Plant will increase the size and
number of campsites at the Mason County Campground, improve electric service to camp


sites, and overall, improve the entire campground. Upgrades to the campground were
completed in 2002 with the addition of five new camp sites. Another improvement to the
campground was the installation of a septic tank and drain field for the host site. In 2010
camping cabins were added to the campground.

The Mason County Campground (Figure 6) includes 56 wooded campsites and the
aforementioned camping cabins. The campground also features a pavilion playground
and a nature trail that connects it to the Picnic Area. Hull Field, a flying field for radio
controlled model airplanes is located just west of the campground. The Twisted Sticks
Radio Control Club operates Hull Field on land just west of the campground. This field
was built and is maintained by the club, with ultimate oversight by the Parks and
Recreation Commission. The field is open to the public, but in order to use it, pilots must
possess an appropriate license.

Figure 6: General location of the Mason County Campground, at 5906 West Chauvez in Pere Marquette Charter
Township.


The Mason County Picnic Area includes a large pavilion that seats 350 people and can be
rented for public and private functions. Also located in this area are three 24-goal disc golf
courses, which are operated by the Mason County Disc Golf Organization. These courses
were built entirely with volunteer help and they have been the site of several tournaments
held by the Michigan Disc Golf Organization. The three courses combined are advertised
as the 3rd largest disc golf course in the world. They are open to the public at no cost.
Figure 7 show the general location of the Mason County Picnic Area.

Figure 7: General location of the Mason County Picnic Area, at 6501 West Chauvez in Pere Marquette Charter
Township

Inman Road Property Located near the intersection of West Bradshaw Road and Inman
Road just north of the Mason County Campground in Pere Marquette Charter Township,
this 34-acre county-owned parcel is currently undeveloped. Its proximity to the Lake
Michigan shoreline, the Mason County Campground, and the Mason County Picnic Area
lends itself to many possibilities for new facilities and to potentially connect the available


recreation sites in this area of Mason County. Figure 8 shows the general location of the
Inman Road Property.

Figure 8: General location of the Inman Road property, near West Bradshaw and Inman in Pere Marquette Charter
Township

Big Sauble River Property
This six-acre riverfront property is actually two separate parcels situated on the north and
south sides of the Big Sauble River in Free Soil Township. This scenic undeveloped
property has direct access from US-31 and is an ideal location to provide boating,
kayaking, and fishing access to the Big Sauble River. Figure 9 provides context for the
general location of this property.

Mason County Fairgrounds The fairgrounds property is owned by the county and is leased
to the Western Michigan Fair Association. Located on the north side of US-10 in Pere
Marquette Charter Township, this 50-acre site features 115 camp sites, a community
center, three horse arenas, several barns and a grand stand with 3,500 seats. Figure 10
shows its location.


Figure 9: General location of the Big Sauble River property, on the east side of US-31 in Free Soil Township

Figure 10: General location of Mason County Fairgrounds, on the north side of US-10 in Pere Marquette Charter
Township


Recreation Grant History
Mason County has received two grant from DNR-administered grant programs. In 2000,
the county submitted a grant for the Community Ice Area at West Shore Community
College in Victory Township. The project title was “Regional Ice Arena,” project number
CM00-198, with a closed project status since the ice arena was completed in 2003. In
2010, Mason County received a $320,000 development grant (TF10-061) for
improvements to the Mason County Fairgrounds. As of October 2012, the improvements
have not yet been constructed.

Accessibility
Creating a park system that is safe, accessible and usable to all individuals within the
community, including those with disabilities, is essential. A grading system has been
developed by the DNR to easily identify those parks and facilities which are most, and
least, handicapped-accessible and usable, based on ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)
guidelines. The following accessibility grading system uses a five-point system ranging
from 1: None of the facilities/park areas meet accessibility guidelines, to 5: The entire
park was developed/renovated using the principles of Universal Design.

An ADA compliance assessment of county facilities was conducted during the summer of
2007 and consisted of a visual inspection of each park and facility in regards to access and
circulation. As noted in the inventory listing on page 12, some of the parks do not meet all
criteria for handicap accessibility. The Parks and Recreation Commission will continue its
efforts towards improving accessibility at each of the parks when improvements are made.
This includes accessible parking, paths, restrooms, activity areas, amenities, and signage.

Accessibility Grade Definition
1 None of the facilities/park areas meet accessibility guidelines
2 Some of the facilities/park areas meet accessibility guidelines
3 Most of the facilities/park areas meet accessibility guidelines
4 The entire park meets accessibility guidelines
5 The entire park was developed/renovated using the principles of Universal Design


Other Parks and Facilities
Within Mason County are twenty local municipalities, which include two cities, three
villages, and fifteen townships. Each provides local parks and community recreational
facilities. School districts also provide recreation amenities, as well as state and federal
agencies. The management of these facilities is the responsibility of the elected boards and
commissions of the respective entity. While this recreation plan does not inventory and
map each of the parks and recreational facilities under the ownership of other agencies
and governmental entities, the county recognizes the health benefits and overall
contribution to quality of life these local recreational assets provide to communities. The
Parks and Recreation Commission supports efforts to improve all recreational facilities and
services within the county. The county is committed to cooperating with communities and
agencies on recreation projects when goals identified within this plan can be satisfied.
Recreation facilities in the county are identified and inventoried in Table 7-5 of the Mason
County Data Book, available on the Mason County website (masoncounty.net). Select
state and federal recreation sites are shown in Figure 11. Figure 12 summarizes those
parks and facilities.

Figure 11: Select state and federal recreational sites in Mason County.


Name of Park Acreage Ownership
Ludington Municipal Marina N/A City of Ludington
Senior Citizens Center N/A City of Ludington
Stearns Park 4.5 City of Ludington
Cartier Park N/A City of Ludington
Loomis Street Park N/A City of Ludington
Peter Copeyon Park 5.0 City of Ludington
Dow Field N/A City of Ludington
James St. Playfield N/A City of Ludington
Waterfront Park 5.3 City of Ludington
City Park 3.0 City of Ludington
Leveaux Park 0.51 City of Ludington
Community Pool N/A Ludington School District
Oriole Field 23 Ludington School District
Custer Township Park N/A Custer Township
River Park 10 Custer Township
DNR Nature Study Platform 1.5 Department of Natural Resources
Ludington State Park 5,400 Department of Natural Resources
Fountain Ball Fields N/A Fountain Village
Peak Playground N/A Fountain Village
Wilson Hill N/A Hamlin Township
South Bayou Park N/A Hamlin Township
White Pine Village 9 Pere Marquette Township
Buttersville Park 18.5 Pere Marquette Township
Sutton's Landing Park 34 Pere Marquette Township
Pere Marquette Shrine 2.4 Pere Marquette Township
Memorial Tree Park 27 Pere Marquette Township
Riverton Ball Team 40 Riverton Township
McPhail Field N/A City of Scottville
Scottville Riverside Park N/A City of Scottville
Sheridan Township Park N/A Sheridan Township
Gunn Lake N/A Sherman Township
Summit Park 5.4 Summit Township
Kibby Creek Park 1 Summit Township
Marrison Road Park 0.5 Summit Township
Lake Michigan Recreation Area US Forest Service
North Country National Scenic Trail US Forest Service
Nordhouse Dunes US Forest Service
Pere Marquette Natural and Scenic River Corridor US Forest Service
Victory Park 40 Victory Township
West Shore Community College 360 West Shore Community College

Figure 12: Partial list of other parks and recreation located within Mason County.


The following overview summarizes some of the parks and recreational facilities within
Mason County that are owned and operated by other agencies and governmental entities.

Federal The United State Forest Service operates several facilities within Mason County.
§ Nordhouse Dunes: A hiking trail begins at the end of Nurnburg Road on the north
side of Hamlin Lake and continues for a distance of 14.5 miles through the
Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area north of Ludington State Park and touches Lake
Michigan, finally ending at the Lake Michigan Recreation Area.
§ Pere Marquette River: A popular fishing and canoeing stream, classified as a
National Scenic River and State Natural River. The Forest Service controls much of
the river and provides various landings and facilities for those who navigate the
stream.
§ North Country Trail: The North Country Trail Association describes the North
Country National Scenic Trail (NCT) as a premier footpath that stretches for about
4,600 miles across seven northern states. From the getoffthecouch.info website, the
NCT segment in Mason County is entirely within the Manistee National Forest and
maintained by the Spirit of the Woods chapter of the North Country Trail
Association. There are no official NCT trailheads in Mason County, but some
parking at Tyndall Road is available with public access at Nine Mile Bridge to the
north in Manistee County. As shown in Figure 12, the NCT is in Meade Township
and heads southward to Lake County and northward to Manistee County.
§ Lake Michigan Recreation Area: This popular area is comprised of family and group
campsites that are both scenic and natural. The area adjoins Lake Michigan to the
west and Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area to the south. It is located about 15
miles north of the City of Ludington on Forest Trail 5629, and has for public use 99
paved spur campsites each of which has a fire ring and picnic table with a lamp
holder, half of which are barrier free. The area also has Lake Michigan swimming
beaches, observation decks, picnic sites with playground, and over three miles of
graveled bicycle and hiking paths.

State Ludington State Park is located on M-116, approximately 8 miles north of Ludington,
and is situated so that it boasts long water frontages on both Lake Michigan and Hamlin
Lake. This park has 344 modern campsites, two ski trails, encompasses the Sauble River


between Hamlin Lake and Lake Michigan, a camp store and restaurant, along with boat
rental and launching facilities. Ludington State Park is undoubtedly the largest visitor
attraction to the county.

Cities and Villages The following municipalities operate a number of parks and
recreational facilities in Mason County.
§ Ludington: Located at the western extremity of the county, along with the
Ludington Area School District, has for many years given the youth and adults alike
their formal recreation programming and will continue to serve the township
populace that embraces the school district. Although some financial changes have
been made to this program in the past two years, there continues to be a very good
and active recreation program in this area. Ludington is able to optimize its many
recreational resources and this avoids a costly duplication of services by the
county.
§ Scottville: Located near the center of the county, and eight miles east of Ludington,
Scottville operates a summer recreation program for the surrounding community in
addition to owning and operating Riverside Park on the south side of the Pere
Marquette River at the southern edge of the city. The city has recently installed a
swimming pool at the park but this pool is at the present time only for the use of
registered campers at the park. Scottville Riverside Park and the Old Engine Club
use property owned by the City of Scottville, which is located on south Scottville
Road on the south side of the Pere Marquette River. Originally the campground
was built over a period of time and has now become an excellent campground
with a swimming pool and modern bathhouse and toilets. This facility is quite
often used to capacity during the camping season.

Villages of Custer, Fountain, and Free Soil These communities have active volunteer
recreation associations that provide primarily softball and baseball activities.

Townships The following townships own and operate their own recreational facilities.
§ Branch Township: Has an active volunteer recreation association that provides
softball and baseball activities, inclusive of ball diamonds owned by the township.


§ Custer Township: Ownership of primarily unimproved area on the south shore of
the Pere Marquette River about two miles south of the Village of Custer. This area
is open to the public for boat and canoe access to the river.
§ Hamlin Township: Operates two parks, both of which are day use parks and
heavily used. Wilson Hill Park is located on the south shore of upper Hamlin Lake
and has a ball diamond, picnic area, and a boat launch ramp for small boats.
South Bayou Park is located on the west side of Lakeshore Drive on the south side
of the south bayou of Hamlin Park. This park appears to be heavily used for
picnicking and has nearby access to Hamlin Lake.
§ Pere Marquette Charter Township: Operates a very active parks and recreation
program. The township has four parks and is the only township to pay a per-capita
fee to the City of Ludington for their children to attend activities sponsored by the
Ludington Recreation Department. The township parks commission operates a 44-
site campground on the high banks above Lake Michigan and has several hundred
feet of beach on Lake Michigan for public use. Memorial Tree Park on Lincoln
Lake is a 37-acre day use park and has a ball diamond and a large picnic shelter
with a building containing flush toilets. Suttons Landing Park, located on the Pere
Marquette River near Old Highway 31 has a large modern picnic shelter with flush
toilets, a boardwalk on the river with handicap fishing positions, and a boat launch
ramp on the river that connects to Lake Michigan. Pere Marquette Shrine located
on Lakeshore Drive has been recently rebuilt, and the area provides parking and a
boat launch ramp on the east side into Pere Marquette Lake.
§ Riverton Township: Has an active volunteer recreation association that provides
§ Sheridan Township: Operates a swimming area and picnic area on the north end of
Round Lake.
§ Sherman Township: Picnic and swimming area on the south side of Gun Lake.
§ Summit Township: Operates Summit Park located at the south end of the high
banks area on the Lake Michigan shoreline in the southwest corner of the county.
Located at the site of a former fish tug base, this park has a modern toilet structure
and includes a large pavilion for group use, a ball diamond, and tennis courts.
§ Victory Township: Has an active volunteer recreation association that provides


Other West Shore Community College, which is located near the geographical center of
the county in Victory Township, has many facilities that are made available to the Mason
County community. Included is an Olympic-size swimming pool, a large field house that
includes gyms, handball courts, and many other sport and health-related and recreation
related activities. The college has been a leader in recreation since it was established over
30 years ago. The West Shore Community Ice Arena was completed in 2003 on its
campus and has been very popular with Mason County residents.

Comparison to Standards
To help analyze the adequacy of parks and recreation facilities owned and operated by
Mason County, it is helpful to compare the county’s system to various standards and
benchmarks.

Overall Quantity Mason County has 300 acres of park land to serve about 28,000 people.
This equates to approximately 10.6 acres of park land per 1,000 residents. General
recreation guidelines suggest there should be 5 to 10 acres of park land per 1,000
residents. This means the county should have at least 141 acres of park land and as much
as 282 acres to meet the general guidelines. The county exceeds these recommendations.

Facility Standards The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) has published
typical recreation facility standards that specify facility service area, the number of facilities
needed to service the population, and the land area needed. These standards can be used
in conjunction with the acreage standards to further identify Mason County’s recreation
needs. Figure 13 provides a comparison of the county’s public facilities against published
recreation facility standards. Based on the standards, some deficiencies are apparent.

Deficiencies can be seen in basketball courts, tennis courts, baseball fields, softball,
football, soccer, golf courses, and playgrounds. The resulting deficiencies, as determined
by this NRPA standards evaluation, does not account for the recreational facilities owned
and operated by other agencies and governmental entities that service local populations.
Mason County can optimize the recreational resources available to all residents in the
county by supporting recreation provided by the local municipalities.


Recommended
Recommended County Public Surplus/
1 2,4
Standard Facilities Need Deficiency

Basketball Courts3 1/5,000 0 6 -6
Tennis Courts 1/2,000 0 14 -14
Baseball Fields 1/5,000 0 6 -6
Lighted Fields 1/30,000 0 1 -1
Softball 1/5,000 0 6 -6
Football Fields 1/20,000 0 1 -1
Soccer Fields 1/10,000 0 3 -3
Golf Courses
9 hole 1/25,000 0 1 -1
18 hole 1/50,000 0 1 -1
Swimming Pool
Indoor 1/20,000 0 1 -1
Outdoor 1/40,000 0 1 -1
Ice Rinks
Indoor 1/50,000 1 1 0
Outdoor 1/20,000 0 1 -1
Playgrounds 1/3,000 2 9 -7
Trails 1 system per region 1 1 0

Recommended number of each facility per unit of population (National Recreation and Park Association/Michigan Recreation
1
Opportunity Standards).

2 Population of 28,274 based on 2000 Census data

3 Two backboards were considered to be equal to one (1) court for the purposes of this analysis

4 Rounded to the nearest whole number

Figure 13: Comparison to Standards for Park and Recreational Facilities .

Level of Service More recent park guidelines indicate that one must also consider the
“Level of Service” desired by the community. If Mason County residents’ needs are met
with the existing amount of park land and facilities, then that amount is sufficient. This is
why the community input portion of a recreation plan is so important. The Parks and
Recreation Commission needs to understand the wishes of the community it serves in order
to provide the Level of Service desired by the residents.

Sports Participation Trends
While the analysis under the previous sections provides an excellent start in understanding
how the county’s recreation facilities stack-up against the DNR-recommended standards, it
does not provide a complete picture. For example, some facilities offered in the county,
such as the disc golf course, do not appear on the list of recommended standards. As a


supplement to the DNR-recommended standards, data from the Sporting Goods
Manufacturers Association (SGMA) is another way to help understand recreation trends.

It is important to be aware of national recreation trends because this information can
enable a community like Tuscola Township to anticipate activities that have a large
number of participants and show a growth in popularity. The SGMA conducts an annual
survey that analyzes the size of sports product markets in order to determine sports
participation trends. Detailed results of the 2011 Sports, Fitness & Recreational Activities
Participation Report are given in Appendix A. This report describes the overall
participation figures for 119 sports in 9 different categories: Aerobic activities,
Conditioning activities, Strength activities, Individual sports, Racquet sports, Team sports,
Outdoor sports, Winter sports, and Water sports. The most popular sports and recreational
activities in the United States for 2010, as measured by people who participate at least
once a year in any given activity (overall participation), are:
1. Walking for Fitness (114.1 million participants)
2. Bowling (55.9 million)
3. Treadmill (53.1 million)
4. Running/Jogging (49.4 million)
5. Hand Weights (45.9 million)
6. Billiards/Pool (39.4 million)
7. Bicycling (39.3 million)
8. Freshwater Fishing (38.9 million)
9. Weight/Resistance Machines (38.6 million)
10. Dumbells (37.4 million)

Natural Resource Inventory
A natural resource inventory is used to identify open space areas that may be desirable for
protection and/or public access through acquisition or other means. There are many
significant natural resources in the county, including over 27 miles of Lake Michigan
shoreline, 9,700-acres of inland lakes, 59,000-acres of forest in the Manistee National
Forest, approximately 238-miles of rivers and streams, and 6,440-acres of protected sand
dunes. It’s worthwhile to note that Mason County ranks 44th among the 83 counties in


Michigan regarding the total number of lakes and ponds within its boundaries, and ranks
36th in total acreage. Figure 15 details the types of lakes and ponds in the county.

Figure 15: Types of Lakes and Ponds in Mason County

Type Number Acres
Natural lakes & ponds 193 3,660
Natural lake with dam 4 5,934
Artificial ponds 79 17.1
Marl lake 1 0.9
Settling pond 2 21.1
Fish breeding pond 1 0.5

Figure 16, on the next page, shows the location of lakes, rivers, streams, wooded areas,
and sand dunes in Mason County. Also shown are some of the wetlands in Mason County.
A more detailed account of wetlands in Mason County is described on Map 3-2
(“Floodplains and Wetlands”) of the Mason County Comprehensive Plan, adopted in 2006.
A partial inventory of inland lakes in Mason County, indicating which ones have public
access, is listed in Figure 17.

Most of the rivers and streams in Mason County are of very high quality and support
desirable species of game fish. Major rivers in the county include the Pere Marquette,
Lincoln (north and south branches), Little Manistee, and the Big Sauble. The Pere
Marquette River is the major west-east river on the southern side of the county. The
Lincoln River is the primary river running west to east on the county’s northern side.
Streams and rivers in the county, classified by their size, are listed below in Figure 18. A
map showing the locations of these rivers is provided in Figure 19.

Figure 18: Types of Streams and Rivers in Mason County

Stream Size Characteristics Mileage
Very Small Not canoeable at average water level 174 Miles
Small Canoeable with difficulty 3 Miles
Medium Readily canoeable 5 Miles
Large Handles small to medium outboard motors 60 Miles
Very Large Handles large outboard motors 10 Miles
Source: Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Recreation Services Division


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Inland Lake Surface Area (acres) Public Access
Allen Lake
Augustine Lake 9
Bachelor Lake
Barton Lake 37.2
Bass Lake 524 yes
Blue Lake 69
Casin Lake 48
Emerson Lake 55
Ford Lake 208 yes
Gooseneck Lake 77
Gun Lake 219 yes
Hackert Lake (Crystal) 125 yes
Hamlin Lake 4,990 yes
Hoags Lake 35 yes
Hopkins Lake
Lake Eden 64.4
Lincoln Lake 155 yes
Long Lake 136
Mud Lake 5.7
North Oxbow Lake
Pere Marquette Lake 554 yes
Pleiness Lake 81 yes
Pond Augustine Lake 5.4
Round Lake 571 yes
South Oxbow Lake
St. Mary's Lake 113 yes
Tallman Lake 170 yes
Thunder Lake
Vogel Lake
Watassa Lake 6.2
Whelan Lake 13.2
Woodruff Lake 20

Figure 17: Partial inventory of inland lakes in Mason County.


Figure 19: Map of major rivers in Mason County.

Of the 251-miles of inventoried rivers and streams in Mason County, approximately 133-
miles are designated state or federal wild/natural/scenic/natural river. The Pere Marquette
River is designated as a state Natural River, and also as a federal Scenic River. These
designations mandate certain provisions to help retain the naturalness of the shoreline and
to help protect river water quality. Provisions of this sort typically include deeper setbacks
for buildings, greater minimum lot widths, limitations on the size of signs, deeper setbacks
for septic systems, a natural vegetative buffer strip, limitations on the clearing of shoreline
vegetation, and control of access to the river.


Earlier, Figure 16 showed the location of sand dunes in the county. Some of the dunes are
designated critical dune areas, which run along the shore from the City of Ludington north
into Grant Township. Much of this area is in public ownership, either through Ludington
State Park or the Manistee National Forest. Sand dune protection and management is
administered by the MDEQ’s Land Water Management Division. A more detailed
account of sand dunes in the county is described in Chapter 3 (“Future Land Use”) of the
Mason County Comprehensive Plan, available on the county’s website (masoncounty.net).

Impact of Tourism
Commercial lodging visitors are generally the group that most businesses think of as the
tourist population. This group includes visitors staying in campgrounds, motels, hotels,
and resorts. Vacationing commercial lodging visitors are probably the most significant
tourist group in Mason County. Generally, this group uses the western half of the county
and the City of Ludington, where well-developed lodging facilities cater to them. A
visitor’s guide to Mason County of commercial lodging tallies 20 motels, 15 resorts, six bed
and breakfasts, four inns, and approximately 20 campgrounds that are available for visitors
to the county. In terms of overall camping sites in the county, Figure 20 (Number of
Campgrounds), shows that 25 campgrounds are available, of which 80% are privately
owned and operated. Figure 21 (Number of Campsites) summarizes the total number of
campsites available in the county. About 71% are commercial and the other 29% are from
federal, state, and local agencies. The data in Figures 20 and 21 are from a 2000 inventory
included in the Mason County Data Book, on the county’s website at masoncounty.net.

Some subgroups of these tourists to Mason County could be considered a seasonal resident
population and can have a substantial impact on the economy in Mason County. This
group is important because it tends to have a higher level of income than the overall
resident population and spends dollars over a longer period than visiting tourists. Two
other groups also make up tourist populations in the county. Day trippers consist of area
or regional residents that use attractions and services for a single day and may drive up to
three hours to fish, canoe, ski, attend festivals, or shop. The size of this group has
increased due to the completion of US-31 to US-10 just two miles east of Ludington. In
addition, the five lanes of US-10 between Ludington and the northbound bypass of US-31
near Scottville provides ease of access to many points within Mason County. Data in the


Number of Campgrounds

1 1
1 National Forest
1
1 State Park
Municipal
Figure 20 Township
County
Commerical
20

Number of Campsites

99
399 National Forest
State Park
62
Municipal
Figure 21 44 Township
49 County
1620 Commerical


Mason County Tourism Profile compiled by Michigan State University Extension shows
Mason County as having one of the highest market shares in terms of expenditures by
tourists destined for the five northern counties of the West Michigan Regional Planning
area.
The Mason County Campground has 56 modern camp sites.


Public Input

To comply with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ Guidelines for the
Development of Community Park, Recreation Open Space and Greenway Plans, Mason
County provided three public input opportunities during this planning process. This
included an online survey, and invitation to the public to attend the August 20, 2012
Mason County Parks and Recreation meeting in Scottville and share their input, and the
required 30-day period for review and comment, with public meeting, on the draft plan. A
compilation of all of the input received from all sources is contained in Appendix B. What
follows is a summary of the input and feedback received during the planning process. To
encourage participation in the online survey, the County released an article in the
Ludington Daily News, promoted the survey on the project website
(http://masoncorec.wordpress.com/), engaged in Facebook networking, and sent various
flyers and e-mail messages to members of the community. Together, these channels for
discussion led to more than 123 responses that the County can use as a baseline level of
information for supporting the ideas outlined in this Recreation Plan.


Providing Access to Online Information About the Recreation Plan Shortly after the
planning process began, an informational website on Facebook was created, as shown
below in Figure 22. It was developed to serve as an online presence that would display
public information, describe the process, provide photos, interactive maps, and be a place
for interested parties to comment on recreation in Mason County. The Facebook page was
an important communication and outreach effort to community groups because it had the
effect of encouraging them to take the online survey, described in more detail below.

Figure 22
Screenshot of Mason County’s Facebook page for the recreation plan, located online at:
https://www.facebook.com/MasonCountyRecreationPlan


Overview of the Online Survey The online survey was made available from June 25
through August 1, 2012, complete with 20 questions each of which can be seen in
Appendix B of this document. The intent of the survey was to establish an easy means of
communication where residents and stakeholders of Mason County could provide input
about the existing parks and ideas for future recreational improvements. Public
announcements to encourage survey participation took the form of an article in the
Ludington Daily News, a link on the project website, Facebook networking with related
organizations, flyers and postcards printed in color, and various e-mail messages sent to
members of the community. More details about responses are given below.

Survey Summary During the public input period, the County collected many great ideas
and suggestions for Mason County parks and recreation. The following information is a
summary of the major ideas the County received from the online survey and the Facebook
page. The complete data is included in Appendix B of this document.

About the Respondents The survey response data indicates that over three-quarters of the
responses from the survey were completed by residents of Mason County. Figure 23,
indicating responses to Question #18, shows the percentage of responses from the listed
locations. Also, from Figure 24, more than 63% of the respondents were over the age of
50, as documented in Question #20. Please note that this survey received only one
comment from youth under the age of 18. From Question #19, most of the responses were
submitted by individuals living in a two-person household. More specific information
follows in Figures 24 and 25 below.

Figure 23: Location of Respondents
“What statement best describes your role in Mason County?”

I live in Mason County 78.9%

My family owns a seasonal home in Mason County 7.3%

I have visited Mason County 11.9%


Figure 24: Age of Respondents
“What is your age?” Figure 25: Household Size
Age Response Percent
“How many people live in your
household?”
Under 18 0.9%
Number in Household Response Percent
18 – 29 5.4%
1 9.0%
30 – 39 11.7%
2 47.7%
40 – 49 18.0%
3-5 43.2%
50 - 64 51.4%
6 or more 0.0%
65 and older 12.6%

About the Parks Question 1 asked the respondents to indicate the number of times they
visited a Mason County park in the past year. A graph of the data is shown below in Figure
26.

Figure 26 “How many times have you or your family used a Mason County park in the
past year?” (Q1)


Question 2 asked respondents which Mason County park they have visited in the past year.
Figure 27 shows that over 73% of the respondents visited the fairgrounds in the past year.

Figure 27 “Which of the following Mason County parks have you visited in the past year?” (Q2)

Question 3 asked respondents if they have camped in Mason County’s parks in the past
year. Figure 28 shows the Mason County Campground is the clear favorite for respondents.

Figure 28 “Please indicate if you have camped in any of the following Mason County parks
during the past year.” (Q3)


Question 4 asked respondents why they visit parks operated by Mason County. The top
choices were for casual and informal uses such as picnics or taking pictures (48%), and to
enjoy nature (47%). See Figure 29.

“Other Responses” include:

Fishing, attend events at
the fairgrounds

Figure 29 “Why do you and/or your family visit Mason County parks?” (Q4)

Big Sauble River Improvements Regarding the Big Sauble River property, Question 5
asked respondents if they have ever used the Big Sauble River property as a boat or kayak
launch. Over 83% of the respondents indicated that they have not. In Question 6,
respondents were given an opportunity to state whether or not they would visit the Big
Sauble River property more often if it were to be improved to enhance water access. Here,
only 45% of the respondents said they would visit the park if there were improvements
made. Question 7 was a follow-up and asked if respondents had any specific ideas or
suggestions for improving the Big Sauble River property. Some of the suggestions were to
protect the site from erosion, keep it rustic, have a minimally-designed parking lot, have
portable toilets, have a small boat launch, keep the area natural, have a couple of picnic
tables.

Disc Golf Course Improvements Regarding the three disc golf courses located at the
Mason County Picnic Area, Question 8 asked respondents if they have ever used them.
Only 18% of the respondents indicated that they had. Question 9 was aimed to determine


how many times in the past year respondents used those disc golf courses. About 82% had
said they had not used them at all in the past year. Put another way, the responses
indicated that 18% had used the disc golf courses at least once in the past year, which
follows the responses from Question 8. Question 10 was a follow-up and asked if
respondents had any specific ideas or suggestions for improving the disc golf courses.
Some of the suggestions were advertise them more, poison ivy removal, and workshops to
introduce families to the sport.

New Facilities and Amenities Question 11 provided a list of recreational features and
amenities. The respondents were asked to check those they felt were most needed in
Mason County and provide their own answers in the “other” box, if applicable. The top
choice, at 59%, among respondents was the desire for more walking and biking paths. A
graph of the responses can be seen in Figure 30 below.

“Other Responses” include:

Fish cleaning station,
snowmobile trails, mountain
bike single track, soccer
fields, bigger camp sites

Figure 30 “What additional facilities/amenities would you like to see added to Mason County
parks and recreational areas? (Check all that apply.)” (Q11)


Prioritizing Future Improvements Question 12 gathered information about the quality of
existing Mason County parks and recreational areas. Participants of the survey were asked
to rank the following features on a scale of 1 (Very Good) to 5 (Very Poor). The results
shown in Figure 31 indicate high levels of satisfaction with the Variety of
Facilities/Amenities, Maintenance and Appearance, Safety and Security, and
Quality/Friendliness of Staff. Responses show a moderate level of satisfaction with Water
Accessibility.

Figure 31 “Please evaluate the following aspects of Mason County parks and recreational
areas.” (Q12)


Recreational Participation in Mason County in General While previous questions in the
online survey focused on specific aspects of the parks operated by the Mason County Parks
and Recreation Commission, Question #13 asked respondents about the things they do in
Mason County already, regardless of property ownership or which agency operates a
recreational amenity. The top recreational activities people participate in include using a
hiking or biking trail (66.7%), boating (56.8%), picnicking (57.7%), attending festivals and
special events (53.2%), and fishing on Lake Michigan or at an inland lake (52.3%).
Overall results are shown below in Figure 32. As a companion to this question, Question
#14 asked respondents to evaluate and rate those existing recreational features in Mason
County. Those receiving the highest rating include Lake Michigan swimming access, fall
color tours, public campgrounds, and places to go picnicking.

Figure 32 “I have participated in the following recreational activities in Mason County in the past
year: (check all that apply)” (Q13)


Mason County Recreation Plan

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