Topinabee Beach Park Improvements

MNRTF Grant Application TF15-0009

Mullett Township

No TreesNO SnowmobilesNo Winter Access

Say NO More to the TDA

Before-Spring 2012 After-Spring 2015

Trees removed from Topinabee Beach Park During 2013 Park Improvements

3-18” Maple, 3-24” Oak, 2-27” Oak, 3- 36" Oak, 2-42” Oak, 24” Red Pine and a 40” Willow Tree. One 33”Oak, killed by construction, removed in July 2014. 16 trees lost based on Wade-Trim Engineering topo survey.

Before-Spring 2012 After-Spring 2015

The loss of swings and shade trees in park.

View from M-27 prior to

2013 Park Improvements

View from M-27 after

2013 Park Improvements

Before-Winter 2012/13 After-Winter 2013/14

Prior to the 2013 MNRTF “improvements”, Topinabee Beach Park was the most popular foot and snowmobile access onto Mullett Lake for hundreds of winter sports enthusiasts. It was completely closed for Winter 2014.

Before-Winter 2012/13 After-Winter 2014/15

Parking lot south of Topinabee Library fully used prior to “improvements”. Mullett Township allowed 32 INCH wide foot path access across park property during Winter 2014/15.

Existing Parking on Gravel Lots

Undefined parking spaces exceeds proposed hard-surfaced spaces with far less storm water run-off.

When will these trees be only a memory?Part of another before and after scene.

Reduced access with fences and retaining walls, grass and trees lost increasing storm water run-off, and new

sewer directing that M-27 run-off into Mullett Lake.

Topinabee Development Association2009-2011

• Fleis and Vandenbrink facilitated a downtown corridor study that addressed roadway design, storm water management, commercial district revitalization, community enhancement and traffic management issues.

This preliminary engineering and design work lead to submission of two unsuccessful Federal TIGER Grant applications. A Tiger II for $2,740,172 and a Tiger III grant application for $1,600,000 .

After two failed Tiger Grant submissions, the TDA’s focus on Grant work for the Topinabee streetscape switched to MDOT TAP Grants. MDOT TAP Grants will not pay for storm sewers or any infrastructure outside of the MDOT right of way.

Mullett Lake Township Park, Topinabee, MI• Fleis and Vandenbrink then designed the MNRTF funded project for a 1.25

acre park located on the Gaylord to Mackinaw City Trailway on the shoreline of Mullett Lake. This fully accessible park includes an enhanced beach area, ADA accessible walkway, play equipment, seating, observation overlook, block retaining walls, decorative concrete paving, shoreline stabilization and native landscape planting to create a site that offers a great view of Mullett Lake.

TF11-002 MNRTF Contribution = $280,000.00 Development to include site preparation, observation and viewing plaza, signage and furniture, plantings, fencing, well/drinking fountain, retaining wall, ADA fishing/viewing deck and ADA play apparatus.

$24,070 MDOT Storm Sewer in a ParkWinning Bid Sheets From 2013 Topinabee Lakeside Park Improvements

MNRTF Project TF 11-002

• Fleis and Vandenbrink had already determined the needed storm sewer capacity for a proposed 2 block long streetscape.

• A storm sewer designed to MDOT standards was never disclosed in the project scope. At a bid cost of $24,070, not including excavation and site restoration, the MDOT storm sewer’s cost was exceeded only by the cost of the ADA walkway.

• Many of the proposed amenities, more than $30,000 worth, and ½ the playgound equipment budget was cut. Many of these costs were later paid by Mullett Township taxpayers or donors.

A MDOT Storm Sewer in a Park$24,070 + Excavation/Site Restoration

Excavation/Install Under North Central State Trail

MDOT Storm SewerOutflow at Lake

MNRTF Grant Application TF 15-0009Conceptual Design includes the “buzz-words” the MNRTF wants to hear.

Rain Garden, Kayak/Canoe Rack, Signing, Native Plantings

MNRTF Grant Application TF 15-0009The “MDOT” Storm Sewer hidden under the paved parking spaces, requiring several hundred feet of excavation, will be the most expensive component.

This Wade-Trim costs estimate, that “Includes stormwater”, was not included in MNRTF Grant submission. Please note the seven fold cost difference between the two parking lot areas. Small lot is $7 sq/ft. Larger lot is $20 sq/ft.

Green line is “dead-headed” sewer installed in 2013. Redline is hundreds of feet of 12” storm sewer hiding

under the pavement in the TF15-0009 Grant Application.

The TDA put a sewer adjacent to the public beach where your children swim.

Say NO to the TDA