The Comstock Township Parks and Recreation Commission moved forward on plans for the Merrill Park Rivers Edge project and confirmed a safety update to the McLinden Trails system during its Sept. 14 meeting.
For Merrill Park, an engineering firm presented cost estimates for potential improvements including shoreline naturalization and boat launch rehabilitation. The commission discussed possible funding sources, including a Michigan Department of Natural Resources grant and additional funds tied to the Morrow Lake settlement. Commissioners talked through how to prioritize project elements against available funding and noted that grant applications are due in November, with public information meetings expected as the project develops.
On the McLinden Trails, jointly operated by Comstock Township and the City of Kalamazoo, commissioners confirmed that public input led to excluding the marked trail system from the surrounding hunting area. The trails, which rank highly in the township’s master plan survey and are featured in Discover Kalamazoo promotion, will remain unaffected by planned DNR maintenance activities in the broader area.
Both updates reflect ongoing coordination between the township and outside partners, including the DNR and the City of Kalamazoo, on the future of the township’s park and trail system.
