Page 3 - Clinton Township Recreation - Summer 2022

Supervisor’s Message
If you no琀ce our new Township logo, you can see it symbolizes the three branches of the Clinton River. To us, the river is one of our most treasured assets, and we con琀nue to develop ini琀a琀ves to make it come alive for all of our residents.
More than just a cri琀cal part of our drainage system, these waterways have tremendous recrea琀onal poten琀al and are a source of beauty and pride to our community. One of our strategic plan ini琀a琀ves is to bring out the value in these assets by adding ameni琀es close to the waterfront and, most importantly, ensuring the water remains clean and protected.
Our e昀orts include a collabora琀ve project to install a universally accessible boat launch at George George Park. A universal design intends for the launch to be accessible for people of all ages and skill levels. Groundbreaking is expected this summer.
The project also includes an innova琀ve parking lot design with green infrastructure techniques and pavers to reduce the lot’s overall impervious surface. This allows stormwater to be 昀ltered naturally before seeping back into the ground, protec琀ng the watershed. Clinton Township is proud to partner in funding this e昀ort with the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund and the Clinton River Watershed Council .
Another boat launch project along the Clinton River centers on Budd Park. We requested earmark money through Congressman Andy Levin’s oce to fund this project and others like riverbank stabiliza琀on and removing log jams. In March, we received no琀ce that he secured $640,000 for a series of improvements along the Clinton River Water Trail. This includes opening the river from Sterling Heights to Mount
Clemens—part of our local and regional Master Plan to further s琀mulate the “blue economy.” Thank you, Congressman Andy Levin!
Last year, we acquired 6.3 acres of land along the north side of the Clinton River Spillway. The parcel, located just east of Harper and north of Metro Parkway, was purchased from the Macomb County Drain Commission with a grant through the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund.
Supervisor Bob Cannon
Our plan for how to use the land to bene昀t residents is currently under development. As part of our strategic vision plan, we have partnered with Macomb County, Mount Clemens, and Harrison Township to obtain a planning grant through SEMCOG. This grant is being used to develop a master recrea琀on plan for the spillway area including our newly acquired parcel. More news will be coming on this in the future.
The plan involves non-motorized transporta琀on op琀ons to connect neighborhoods and communi琀es to the spillway. The County is taking the lead on orchestra琀ng the study with the full coopera琀on of the bene昀琀ng communi琀es.
An essen琀al aspect of developing a river trail system is making sure the Clinton River remains healthy. Clinton Township has been doing its part to make this happen by inves琀ng in our water and sewer infrastructure. In the southern por琀on of the Township, we are nearing the comple琀on of a 20-year project to improve the sewer system. Overall, south of Metro Parkway, we’ve invested more than $35 million over two decades to protect the environment and the precious recrea琀onal value of our rivers and lakes. We believe we are nearing the end of this cri琀cally important project.
A 昀nal note: last year, we dedicated a Gold Star Families Memorial Monument located on Civic Center grounds. I 昀nd myself deeply moved when I see residents re昀ec琀ng quietly at the monument. If you have not seen or spent 琀me at the memorial, you can a琀end the monument rededica琀on ceremony on June 11 at 1 p.m. at the Clinton Township Civic Center. I hope to see you there.
Robert J. Cannon
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Clinton Township acquired more than 6 acres along the Clinton River Spillway for recrea琀onal use.