“Ottawa Sands is ready to welcome visitors with improved amenities, restored natural habitats, and new recreational opportunities.”
Rylie Dorman is the Communications Specialist for Ottawa County Parks and Recreation. She says the nearly 7-month closure was necessary to create better accessibility and more biodiverse natural spaces for everyone.
“We wanted to make sure that everyone was able to appreciate the stunning scenery of Ottawa Sands because it really is a beautiful park.”
The 345-acre former sand mining site received upgrades to it’s parking lot and restroom facilities, a paved 1.6-mile Lake Loop trail, new benches, and a universally accessible kayak launch along the Grand River. Significant ecological enhancements were also made in collaboration with Audubon Great Lakes and the Michigan DNR to repair environmental damage sustained from previous sand mining operations.
Funding for those projects were made possible by the support of various partners, private donors, and grants.
The Idema Explorer’s Camp also received upgrades but is not currently set to reopen until a later date, however
“Visitors can anticipate a tour of the facilities during the grand re-opening event.”
That event will take place on October 17th at 4 p.m. at Ottawa Sands.
