One of the gingerbread houses at the Cedar Springs Library.

The Animal Junction 4-H Club would like to invite all of the Cedar Springs community to visit the Cedar Springs Library until Friday, December 7, to view the wonderful confectionary creations that their 4-H members have made to kick off this year’s holiday season.

They would like the community to vote for the gingerbread house they like the best. The winners will be announced on Saturday, December 8, at 10 a.m. at the Cedar Springs Library, at the corner of Main and W. Maple Street in Cedar Springs.

Kids lined up outside of the Post to get a spooktacular treat. Post photo by J. Reed.

The Cedar Springs Area Chamber of Commerce’s Halloween Spooktacular was a big hit as hordes of little and not so little ghouls and goblins, zombies and zany characters visited homes and businesses in Cedar Springs Tuesday evening for annual trick or treating fun.

Businesses along Main Street, the old schoolhouse at the C.S. Museum, the fire station, the library, and The Springs Church all gave out treats and held their own form of Halloween fun.

Superheroes, princesses, and evil villains all helped
themselves to candy at The Post. Post photo by J. Reed.

Downtown trick or treating was from 5-6:30 p.m., while residential trick or treating lasted until 8 p.m.

by Donna Clark and Sue Wolfe

The asphalt being poured on the walking trail at the Library.

Volunteers continue to work hard to complete the projects around the library and surrounding park areas, which includes the flowers around the stainless steel structure and the native grasses in the rain garden on the south. Naturalists Tom Mabie and Perry Hopkins took oversight of these two projects, gathering most of the native grasses and plants from the area around Cedar Creek, and then babying them to be sure they survived.

From the first days of May to the Grand Opening of the new Library, many good folks from the Community Building Development Team (CBDT) and beyond came together to put in the shrubs, trees, stones and lawn around the Library. An underground watering system on timers has been key in aiding in the growth and stability of the healthy plants and lawn. The system was provided by Dan McIntyre and his company, Splash, and then installed at no extra cost to the Library. Several free visits have been made as adjustments or replacements to sprinklers have been needed.

City Councilor Dan Clark has put in a lot of hours tending to the library grounds.

Councilman Dan Clark has spent many evenings and weekends around the Library and walking path in the surrounding park areas off Main and Pine Streets, hand-mowing the lawn,  edging, checking on the sprinklers, making sure the timers are set right, and cleaning around the new asphalt and placing sod to prevent any washouts. Clark is doing the finishing touches that take a lot of time but really pull things together for a neat and crisp appearance. Also spending many hours toward cleaning up the grounds, trimming bushes, and sweeping sidewalks has been donated by Andy Dipiazza.  The public grounds are really beautiful!

Along the new path you can now see the (36) 10”x8” brass plates inset into the retaining wall blocks. Thanks to Don Snow and his team at CS Tool Engineering, Inc., the plates and engraving are finished, and at no cost to the Library. Thanks to Dale Larson, owner of Northwest Kent Mechanical and his team, 36 plates were installed with great care and precision on September 27 and 28. 

An example of one of the many bricks available to purchase.

The 129 bricks that have sold this past year have arrived and will be installed very soon. With the help of our new DPW Director, David Ducat and his team, and any other volunteers needed, the plan is to install them at the entrance of the new Library. According to Duane McIntyre, foreman of the project, we have 410 places for bricks, depending on the sizes purchased. The sizes offered are the 4×8 for $50 or the 8×8 for $100. On the 4×8 there can be 3 lines of 21 characters, including spaces between words and for the 8×8, 6 lines. These will make wonderful holiday presents! In fact a long-time community person with lots of family and grandchildren recently said she was going to purchase 21 bricks for her family Christmas presents.  

Mayor Gerry Hall and Councilman Perry Hopkins have been assembling the 10 benches purchased through the CBDT. The nameplates will again be engraved under the direction of Don Snow. Memorial and honorary brass plates will be installed on these benches, also. McIntyre and Hopkins will oversee the installing of the benches on various cement slabs around the library and surrounding park area. 

You perhaps noticed the four six foot benches around the clock tower and the sidewalk at the east side of the Library, ready for Red Flannel visitors.  They were in constant use and a very attractive and useful addition to our festivities!

Director Donna Clark was on hand at the library on Red Flannel Day offering tours and information about the vision our community has embraced called, the “Heart of Cedar Springs.” The entire property, going even beyond the edge of Cedar Creek and the White Pine Trail, will be a park-like area, developed and supported through a base constituency of over 100 volunteers and donors, the Community Building Development Team.  

The next project is building an amphitheater along where the White Pine Trail and Cedar Creek meet west of the park property.  A new fundraising campaign has begun. The City of Cedar Springs and the CBDT will work together on submitting an application for a Economic Development Grant for a $50,000 match within the next few weeks. Watch for details soon on how you can get involved. 

The walking path behind the library was paved with asphalt last week. It’s between Cedar Creek and the North side of the library. The bricks and blocks will also soon be installed on the retaining wall. If you haven’t been over to the new Cedar Springs Community Library to see how the landscaping and grounds are coming together, you should take a walk around and see what a beautiful place it is!

The Community Building Development Team held a concert last weekend to celebrate the next phase of the “Heart of Cedar Springs” and to update residents on the status of the project.

Now that the library has been completed, they will be working on the amphitheatre, towards the back of the city’s property on W. Maple Street. According to the CBDT, approximately $50,000 is needed to complete the stage portion of the amphitheatre by fall. Efforts have begun to secure a matching $50,000 grant to  make residents’ dollars more valuable to this effort. Watch for more details in the Post, or you can go to their website www.cscommunitycenter.org to donate if you wish.

CBDT plans for the “Heart of Cedar Springs”

The CBDT held their Grand Gala in the spring, which raised $39,000. They said that a grand total of $2.5 million, which includes money, land, services and products, has been donated over the last three years from the community toward building the “Heart of Cedar Springs” projects.

Some of their accomplishments include:

• Additional land was purchased by the CBDT and donated to the City, enlarging the public park area known as the “Heart of Cedar Springs” located on the north west corner of Main & Maple Streets along with other land.
• Tests and permits were acquired from the Department of Natural Resources, Department of Environmental Quality, and other state and local agencies.
• A detailed long-term site plan was created for the “Heart of Cedar Springs” area.
• Success in routing the North Country Trail (longest walking trail in the United States) through Cedar Springs with efforts nearing completion to name Cedar Springs a North Country Trail Town.
• A state-of-the-art $ 1.8 million Cedar Springs Community Library was built and is paid in full.
• A beautifully custom-designed metal sculpture was placed along Cedar Creek which will be surrounded by a rain garden and learning station of the plants and vegetation.
• A new bridge linking the properties on the north and south sides of Cedar Creek was built to replicate the original Carmody Bridge from the 1800s.
• A clock tower was built and erected which will eventually include a memorial for Veterans.
• Preliminary designs for an amphitheatre, community building, and walking trails have been completed.

If you’d like to be  more involved, or just keep up on what is happening, you can attend one of their meetings. The CBDT meets in the new library on the third Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. There will not be a meeting in December.

You will see all kinds of wildlife and plant life at Howard Christensen Nature Center. Courtesy photo.

By Kim Gillow

While riding on our float in several parades, I overheard members of the crowd saying, “I thought they closed.” “I remember going there as a kid.” “My sister got married there.” Well, we are still here. Kids still come with their schools and people still get married here. The Cedar Springs Post has been kind enough to list our events in “Hometown Happenings” but that is just part of our story. We are in the midst of a massive renovation and upgrade. Our biggest project is the building of dioramas inside the Interpretive Center to mimic the various ecosystems on the land. We are also planning to restore the planetarium and create an interactive, hands-on area in the former library space. This is all being done through volunteer time, money and energy. As a nonprofit, with no outside funding, we are totally dependent on revenue from our events and donations. We rent the property from KISD but we are responsible for the upkeep and repairs.

Howard Christensen Nature holds many types of events for all ages. Courtesy photo.

Our mission remains the same: To inspire appreciation and respect for the natural world, to increase awareness of environmental concerns and encourage individual’s to maintain earth’s ecology through scientific and educational activities. We have had to institute an admission fee to help with expenses. It is $3 per person for anyone 16 or older. This has led to some disgruntled comments but we do have to keep the lights on. And we want to be able to keep the cost of school trips and other events at a level that isn’t prohibitive.

We are busy staining our tables and benches at the center and are setting up a picnic area near the playground. Volunteers are repairing the boardwalks that have been damaged by weather and vandals. We have a new shed to house our snowshoes and cross country skis, courtesy of  Daniel Mills’ Eagle Scout Project. Fairy doors are appearing along the trails. We dream of paddle boats on the pond and a challenge course.  Plans are in the works for our fall events: Red Pine 5k Run, Fairy Festival, scarecrow and gourd craft day, pumpkin carving and spooky walk, haunted house, pie making, and  wreath making/make and take to name a few. For more information, call (616) 675-3158 or register on our web site: www.howardchristensen.org.

Planning an event? Rent Camp Lily’s, a private retreat center on the north end of the property. There is a large building with meeting space, full kitchen and rest rooms plus a pavilion and camping areas with picnic tables and fire pits. It is the perfect place for a family reunion, graduation party, wedding or corporate retreat. We continue to improve the venue and hope to have an indoor shower by next spring.

Next big thing! We are cleaning out the barn and other nooks and crannies. Mark and Ann Petersen are offering their services for a benefit auction on Sunday, August 27, starting at 3 p.m. The public is welcome to come any time after 1:30 p.m. to get your bid number and preview our wide variety of items that are ready for a new home. And it is a variety: electric clothes dryer, display cases, waders, filing cabinets, fencing, etc. Watch for a complete list on our web site and sale bills around town when we get closer. There will also be raffles of a child’s quilt and baskets of goodies, a bake sale, and hot dogs, popcorn and drinks for sale.

How can you help? Come and see us, become a member, attend an event, volunteer for an individual project or join us to help with an event, rent Camp Lily’s, make a tax deductible donation, wave at us in a parade, let people know—we’re still here!

Thursday – June 29

10am-7pm Red, White & Blue Book Sale – Great deals on books, magazines, movies, music and more. Located in the Nelson Township/Sand Lake Library program room. 

Dusk Firemen’s Parade of Lights – line up at 8:30 p.m.

Friday – June 30

10am-7pm Red, White & Blue Book Sale

1pm-Midnight Midway Open – Wade Shows – Rides & Attractions @ Salisbury Park

Saturday – July 1

Kiddies Day • “Small Town Glory”

10am-2pm Red, White & Blue Book Sale – Great deals on books, magazines, movies, music and more. Located in the Nelson Township/Sand Lake Library program room. 

10:30am-11:30am Decorate Your Bike and Celebrate the Fourth of July – Come to the Nelson Township/Sand Lake library and decorate your bike for the Fourth of July! We will have many patriotic decorations on hand to help you festoon your ride.

Noon Kiddies Day Parade Registration – Receive a grab bag and free entry for a bike giveaway for ages 6-12. Judging categories: Single (1 or 2 Kids), Bike and Float/Group (max of 5). No motorized vehicles driven by kids under the age of 17 in parade. @ 6th Street

12:30pm Kiddie Parade Starts (Judging after Parade)

1pm-Midnight Midway Open – Wade Shows – Rides & Attractions @ Salisbury Park

1pm Die Cast Car Races – All ages – Free to enter. Prizes for the winners. @ VFW

1:30pm-2:30pm Farm on the Go! Animal Petting – Visit friendly farm animals with Critter Barn of Zeeland  @ Nelson Township/Sand Lake library

2pm-4pm Kids Activities! Games, pries and fun for kids up to age 12. @ VFW

4pm Drawing for Bikes (One boy’s and one girl’s Ages 6-12) Child must be present at stage to win.

4pm Mini Tractor Pull @ Water Tower Event Area

8pm Country Music – MOONSHOT @ Lake Street Stage

Sunday – July 2

8am Registration for Classic Car/Antique Tractor Show @ corner of 4th and Lake Streets

9am-3pm Classic Car/Antique Tractor Show @ corner of 4th and Lake Streets

12pm-10pm Midway Open – Wade Shows – Rides & Attractions @ Salisbury Park

2pm Mini Horse Pull @ Water Tower Event Area

6pm-7pm Hymn Sing @ Lake Street Stage 

7pm Greased Pig Contest @ Water Tower Event Area

7:30pm Country Music – REWIND @ Lake Street Stage

Monday – July 3

12pm-10pm Midway Open – Wade Shows – Rides & Attractions @ Salisbury Park

2pm-10pm Bingo  at VFW – Smoke Free

5pm-7pm Live Music – Sand Lake Rodeo – LUKE WARM AND THE NOT SO HOTS @ Water Tower Event Area

7pm Sand Lake Rodeo – Tickets at the Gate @ Water Tower Event Area

Tuesday – July 4

11am Grand Parade Registration

12pm-10pm Midway Open – Wade Shows – Rides & Attractions @ Salisbury Park

1:30pm Grand Parade Starts

2pm-10pm Bingo at VFW – Smoke Free

3pm Gates Open for Demolition Derby – Pre-Sale tickets start at 2pm

6pm Demolition Derby @ Water Tower Event Area

8pm Live Music – LUKE WARM AND THE NOT SO HOTS @ Lake Street Stage

10:30pm FIREWORKS!

Food and Merchandise vendors will be located along lake street throughout the celebration

Please NOte:

• Sale of knives with blades more than 3” is not permitted
• No Airsoft Guns allowed at Carnival or Events
• No Dogs Allowed in Midway

Download schedule here: 4thofJuly2017.pdf

Community members helped clean up around the Heart of Cedar Springs and other roadsides within the city limits on Earth Day last Saturday. Photo by Kathy Ensley.

In honor of National Earth Day on Saturday, April 22, the City of Cedar Springs and the Community Building Development Team (CBDT) volunteers took to cleaning up the newly acquired city property running north along Cedar Creek and intersecting with the White Pine and North Country Trails, just west of Main Street in downtown Cedar Springs. Approximately 28 community members came together to cut down brush and dead trees, haul away the lumber, clean out creek waters, and pick up debris in the area.

Earth Day cleanup. Photo by Perry Hopkins.

Perry Hopkins, City Councilor and CBDT Board Member, along with Tom Mabie, CBDT member, and other community members were careful to protect and keep flowers, bushes, plants, and trees that are environmentally important to maintaining proper creek temperatures for the trout, as well as providing an enjoyable year-round variety of natural blooming and therapeutic vegetation. The Hopkins and Mabie duo are teaming up with the Cedar Springs Garden Club and Trout Unlimited in creating natural rain gardens and learning stations along the creek beds. Other city councilors participating in the Earth Day cleanup included Rose Powell and Gerry Hall.

John Ensley, CBDT, organized the Earth Day cleanup and has secured the donated marble stone from Doreen and Dan Welch, Welch Tile and Stone, which will be eventually installed along the walking path.

Community members helped clean up on Earth Day. Photo by Kathy Ensley.

“The goal is to open up the new downtown park areas known as the Heart of Cedar Springs. We got a lot accomplished today thanks to the many dedicated volunteers. We still have some work ahead of us but it’s coming along nicely,” explained Ensley.

Julie Wheeler, CBDT Board Member, organized various other community organizations who also began their Cedar Springs Earth Day cleanup along the primary roadsides within the city limits and other sections of the White Pine Trail as part of the Earth Day efforts.  The groups have until May 1 to complete their section of the roads.

“This is another example of folks coming together for our community. We had volunteers out there on a sunny Saturday willing to do some hard physical labor,“ shared Kurt Mabie, CBDT President. “We hope to continue the cleanup this summer along with constructing a new amphitheatre, walking path, and veteran’s memorial by fall as needed funds become available.”

Garett Tunison, Ground Control Aerial LLC, did a second drone fly-over to show the area progress since his first video done prior to the construction of the library. The video will be added to the CBDT website.

The CBDT meets on the third Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. in their new regular meeting location of the Community Library gathering room. All are invited. More information is available on the website of CSCommunityCenter.org, the Facebook page of Cedar Springs Community Building Development Team or by calling Sue Wolfe at 696-2246.

The new Cedar Springs Community Library is nearing completion, and will be opening in May. This is a view from the back, with the retaining wall where the plaques will be. Post photo by J. Reed.

May 8 soft opening; May 13 grand opening celebration

By Judy Reed

It won’t be long, and Cedar Springs area residents will be able to enjoy a brand new library. Work will soon be completed on the 10,016-foot structure, which is 8,000 feet bigger than the current library.

The Library is shooting for a May 8 soft opening, with a May 13 grand opening celebration from 2-5 p.m.

The Library, which is designed to resemble a train depot, promises to be a main attraction in the heart of Cedar Springs.

Besides the area housing all the adult books, there will also be 12 public computers, a classroom, three tutoring rooms, an enclosed children’s area with glass panels, and a playroom area. There will also be four stations for children’s computers. Teens will also have their own area.

Another draw will be the community room, which will hold up to 75 people with the tables and chairs, and 100 without. A complete kitchen will open up into the community room. People can walk out of the community room to a patio, which will be facing the creek, where the retaining wall will be.

“There is also an area with a beautiful fireplace, which will be very warm and welcoming, comfy chairs, a table, and two more chairs on either side,” remarked Library Director Donna Clark.

In front of the library, at the corner of Main and W. Maple, will be a locally built clock tower, soon to be installed. Behind the library is a beautiful metal sculpture of dragonflies created by metal artist Steve Anderson.

The Library is still selling bricks. For $50 you can get a 4×8 brick with 3 lines, or an 8×8 brick with 6 lines for $100, and inscribe it as you wish. Bricks will be placed at the Library entrance and a few other places, as needed. They will also soon offer benches as a fundraiser. More info to come on that. Pick up a brochure to order a brick at the Cedar Springs Library or visit http://cedarspringslibrary.org/news/bricks-and-blocks-for-new-library/ to print one out.

The Library will close the week of April 24 to pack up and move. They need around 250 boxes of a standard size, easy to move and not too heavy. If you have boxes you would like to donate, please call the library to coordinate drop off at 616-696-1910.

If you’ve been down Main Street in Cedar Springs recently, you can’t help but notice how far along the new library is at the corner of Main and Maple Street.

“It’s coming along really well,” said Library Director Donna Clark. “But you can’t really see what’s happening inside.” According to Clark, workers are putting up drywall, and the roofing will be done anytime. They are also working on the parking area. Clark also said that the Library Board voted to replace the sidewalk that will run in front of the building on Main Street. The building will be done sometime in the spring.

In the meantime, the library asks you to give a gift, a legacy, to the ones you love for Christmas and to help with costs for the New Cedar Springs Library, as well.

For $50 you can get a 4×8 brick with 3 lines, or an 8×8 brick with 6 lines for $100, and inscribe it as you wish. Bricks will be placed at the Library entrance and a few other places, as needed. The 10×8 retaining wall blocks are $1,000, and will have a brass plaque insert with 8 lines available. Logos are also possible with a block. Blocks will be used along the path to the Cedar Creek walkway.

Pick up a brochure to order a brick or block at the Cedar Springs Library or visit http://cedarspringslibrary.org/news/bricks-and-blocks-for-new-library/ to print one out.

Years of plans and dreams are finally coming true—Cedar Springs is really going to have a new, much needed library building! The Library Board chose the contractor at their June 27 meeting, and a groundbreaking is scheduled for Saturday, July 9 at 5:00 p.m. near the Cedar Springs Fire Station, at the corner of Main and W. Maple Street. Everyone is invited. See the ad on page 11 and watch the Library website and Facebook Page for activities being planned for this event.

You may have read in The Post or The Bugle that over 900 people of all ages have signed up for the Library’s Summer Reading Program. This growth, along with the significantly increased use of the Library in general, has taken place in spite of not having adequate room. Your Library Staff is persistent regardless of the obstacles.

The current library building has only 2,016 square feet. The new library will have 10,016 square feet, a well-deserved treat to the citizens of Cedar Springs and surrounding communities.

Library Director Donna Clark is excited about what this groundbreaking means for Cedar Springs. “I have the distinct privilege of being the Library Director of our community library at this historic moment of groundbreaking, but I do not stand alone,” she said. “I’m only one, standing on the foundation prepared from the early 1800s to this present day, by a long line of educators, professionals, town folk, volunteers, and enthusiastic people of vision and hope. I celebrate with you who have served your local library as library employees and board members, and with our great City, who is walking this journey with us. I love it that we are building a whole City block of beauty and culture for future generations.”

There are new developments every week because the Library Board and several committees are meeting regularly to accept the bids of contractors and subcontractors, to choose materials, and to keep up with all of the details that require timely attention. “One of the most significant contributions of time during the past two years has come from Duane McIntyre, who will continue to serve as the Project Construction Manager at no charge. This represents a huge savings to the donors and citizens of our communities,” said Community Building Development Team Chair Kurt Mabie. “Many others have also contributed hundreds of hours to reach this milestone so that this dream could come true. Thank you to everyone! These gifts of time are extraordinarily meaningful and are greatly appreciated.”

A finance committee, made up of a good mix of local, respected professionals, is keeping track of the donations that are being made to the Community Building Development Team (CBDT) and the Cedar Springs Public Library. Donations for the new building and its contents are still very much needed and greatly appreciated.

This new library building is just one facility planned for the Heart of Cedar Springs, thanks to the CBDT and the Cedar Springs City Council and Planning Commission. They have all brought their influence to bear on raising funds and negotiating with governmental entities, as well as making sure the right people are available to support the many needs of such a large undertaking. Kent County is a wonderful place to live, thanks to a history of good leadership and smart planning. What is happening in Cedar Springs fits perfectly into the scheme of friendly, up-and-coming communities throughout Kent County. The value of these projects to the residents and businesses of Cedar Springs, and to all of northern Kent County, cannot be overestimated.

The Heart of Cedar Springs will include the following projects that are critical to the continued growth of Cedar Springs.

A library, designed and developed as a place to gather, a place where educational opportunities can be extended, a place where a community can meet, grow and learn together.

An amphitheater where outdoor plays, musicals, movies, concerts and more will fill the summer days and evenings for residents, as well as a place of respite for White Pine Trail and North Country Trail enthusiasts.

Rain Gardens and a Sculpture are a part of the continual beautification of Cedar Creek and its historic flowing spring, which will provide multiple opportunities for several school districts to collaborate with science experiments, and participate in research that can benefit Michigan water way protection and development. The new library will be a great source and meeting place for these classes.

A Boardwalk and Bridges along the Creek, initially running from Main Street to the White Pine Trail but eventually spanning through to Riggle Park and 17 Mile Road to be enjoyed by walkers, nature enthusiasts, and fishermen.

A Community Center that can be used as a FEMA crisis center, as well as provide a beautiful venue for wedding and retirement receptions, and many other community and personal celebrations and gatherings.

A Recreation and Fitness Center where the Parks and Recreation Department, various other recreational and fitness organizations, schools, and individual residents can focus on health and wellness as a community.

All of north Kent County will benefit and appreciate these facilities and open spaces. The value they bring to the Cedar Springs Community will be a legacy for years to come. Please get involved now to be part of this legacy.

Tax deductible donations can be made out to the Community Building Development Team and sent to treasurer, Sue Mabie, 15022 Ritchie Ave, Cedar Springs, Michigan 49319.

The 50-acre conservation easement will protect lakes and emergent wetlands in the watershed from development. Nelson Lake, just off Division, and east of Sparta, is one of the lakes in the conservation easement. Photo Credit: Pete DeBoer

Cedar Springs and Sparta to benefit

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality recently announced more than $4.3 million in grants to protect Michigan lakes and streams from pollution, and a group working on projects in Cedar Springs and Sparta received a portion of it.

Trout Unlimited received $239,449 to restore wetlands, and to protect a 50-acre property with a permanent conservation easement in the Rogue River watershed, as part of the Rogue River Home Rivers Initiative project. The City of Cedar Springs and the Cedar Springs Community Building Development Team has contributed $22,000 to this project. Additional project partners include the Land Conservancy of West Michigan, SouthPeat Environmental LLC, the Rogue River Watershed Partners, and the Kent County Drain Commissioner Office.

Specific wetland activities include restoring approximately 5 acres of wetlands in the Cedar Springs and Sparta area. Two wetlands will be restored in Cedar Springs, both on City of Cedar Springs property. One is a half acre by the fire barn, where the new library will built (between the firebarn and Cedar Creek) and two acres at North Park, just east off of Main Street (between Oak Street and Cedar Springs Mobile Estates).

Two wetlands will also be restored in the Sparta area—one acre on the corner of M37 and Main St, and 1.5 acres off of Phelps, on private property.

Once restored, these sites will play a huge role in reducing sediment in Cedar and Nash Creeks and helping to stabilize water temperature by controlling stormwater runoff.  In addition, identification and prioritization of historically lost wetlands will be done and potential wetland restoration areas in the entire watershed will be quantified for future projects.

A second portion of the project is the completion of a conservation easement, permanently protecting approximately 50 acres in the watershed. The 50-acre conservation easement is located just east of Sparta, off of Division, on private property.

This property is directly adjacent to 124 acres of permanently protected land. The area just outside of the property is experiencing development pressure. The conservation easement will eliminate all development in this area, as well as provide buffer zones to the waterways and wetland areas.

These grants will help restore impaired waters and protect high-quality waters by reducing nonpoint sources of sediment, nutrients and other contaminants. Nonpoint source pollution is runoff that picks up both natural and human contaminants as it moves across the ground and eventually deposits it into waterways.

This two year project will begin in October 2016 and will be part of the current Trout Unlimited Rogue River Home Rivers Initiative project. This project is a multi-year collaborative watershed restoration project. Local foundations, businesses and other donors have contributed funds towards the Rogue River Home Rivers Initiative project. The City of Cedar Springs and the Cedar Springs Community Building Development Team has contributed $22,000 to this project. Additional project partners include the Land Conservancy of West Michigan, SouthPeat Environmental LLC, the Rogue River Watershed Partners, and the Kent County Drain Commissioner Office.

A Trout Unlimited Project Manager and Project Coordinator work to improve existing river conditions through restoration actions, work with local governments to improve municipal planning, and increase capacity to help ensure advocates for long-term protection of the Rogue.