Water Street Park will not become a gas point

It may be too early to know what the long-term future holds for Port Huron Township Park near Water Street, but officials say it won’t be a tourist stop or ‘A gas station.

A small crowd of residents turned out to the township’s regular board meeting Monday evening to voice concerns about the potential loss of the property during an hour-long exchange that also evolved to include d other park-related grievances.

Last month, the council heard from gas station owners proposing a station that could accommodate cars and trucks with a market ending with two restaurants in the park, located on a long, narrow site running from the road to Stocks Creek and the Black River. with a former playground and building historically leased by the host Lions Club of Port Huron at 2270 Water St.

On Monday, Port Huron Township Supervisor Bob Lewandowski said they have since communicated that they are not interested in moving forward with the idea of a fuel stop, adding, “They asked, so we let them come in and do their spiel. And then we knew it wasn’t really what we wanted.

However, a deal that unloaded the former campground from the neighboring township two years ago with the option to buy the Lions Club site could still be a source of anger for residents who hope the latter park stays under the control of the canton.

“After our last meeting, I talked with the man who bought the campground, and he has first right of refusal on that part…to buy it,” Lewandowski said. “He said if anyone else wanted to buy it, they would exercise their right.”

So how did we get here? What were the concerns?

In 2022, the township board agreed to sell the township’s former RV park at 2301 Water St. for $2 million with a $400,000 option to buy the park at 2270 Water.

Since then, developer and local native Steve Ureel, through Parkbridge Investment Group, has rehabilitated the former RV property into Dancing Fire Glamping and RV Resort, while also purchasing Bridge Harbor Marina on the other side of the road.

Ureel could not immediately be reached Tuesday.

Lewandowski told meeting attendees Monday that Ureel still has two years to follow through on his option to buy Lions Club Park and indicated he will have plans developed by next winter.

“He really wants to open a restaurant or two…” the supervisor said. “He bought the marina across the highway and he has the campground. He wants to kind of tie it all together, maybe build something on the hill, he wants to keep the toboggan run and everything else. We were talking about the possibility of connecting the marina and this site to the restaurants by a path, so that people from the marina could come and use it.

Lewandowski said Ureel also indicated they would like to set up some sort of temporary stage where music could be shared in the summer, further inland, in the township park.

Nonetheless, local residents said they preferred the municipality improve the park itself and asked authorities to legally check whether they could opt out of the option or wait for Ureel’s option period.

“Why can’t we keep it and do it ourselves?” » Township resident Carol Miller asked the board about the entertainment piece.

She said the municipality had “brought their attention, but not in a positive way” to the management of future options for the Lions Club park, believing that officials had not given enough attention to its smaller parks outside from 40th Street Pond and Bakersfield.

Rod Borowski cited his former ties to the township and features of 2270 Water, although he now lives across the Black River, on the city side, within sight of the park.

“They had boat docks on this creek. I remember a boat launch there. I’m 77 years old,” he said. “There are some high-value people coming in who want to buy this property. This part could have a boat launch in it. When you realized the Bakersfield boat ramp, there was only one ramp that people could put their boats in… You know how many boaters in the municipality don’t have a boat ramp. You really screwed up with Bakersfield.

The loss of the RV park and the potential loss of the Lions Club park, Borowski said, was changing the area. He added: “It’s not for average, middle-class people” and “you allow it.”

In the past, Lions Club officials have expressed hope to keep the building on the township park, citing its popularity in its use and good stewardship of the site.

Other residents spoke about the nature and species of wildlife that the park was also home to, that it was where they could take children with special needs fishing without worrying about them falling into the water. water, and a host of other memories they associated with the property.

“I guess I don’t understand why it’s for sale,” said a township resident who goes by Trash the Clown on social media and who previously declined to be identified by name. “Once we remove public space, it is gone forever. We never get it back. Take a look in any business and you will see waste. … Businesses are bringing more trash to the waterfront. Your job as a board of trustees is to maintain and improve our township. You cannot improve our township by selling it.

When asked, township officials said the $2 million from the sale of the RV park was being invested as a revenue source for the township parks.

Lewandowski said whatever future plans Ureel has, the board would know the details before they are executed and the developer would have to go through normal site approvals through the township.

The municipal council meets on the first and third Monday of each month. The township planning commission, where initial zoning changes and site plans are reviewed, meets the second Thursday of each month. The park commission meets on the first Wednesday. Meeting agendas can be viewed under the Reference Desk tab at www.porthurontownship.org.