Photo's by Willy, Text by Brad

[shinblind]

In case anyone was searching about Ludington this Memorial Weekend and ends up here reading this please consider informing yourselves about this issue. Search here for  West End Project, WEP, West End Scheme, or WES.

Repost from Brad:

 Brad on April 14, 2016 at 9:14am

I'm reposting this here as it is what our resistance is based on... SAVE THE WEST END!

I hope someone who's following this discussion and hasn't seen the other WES discussions will see it, be inspired and sign the petition and also email Tamra and the Grant Board.

I urge someone to post this to Facebook, Twitter, etc.

I would hope someone would also pass this on to Deb D and any other supporters that don't visit The Torch.

This grant will not be voted on by the DNR Grant Board till December 7th 2016 in Lansing.

Everyone opposed the desecration of the West End NEED to send emails or letters to Tamara and the Trust board. The only way to stop this is to stop the grant. The city council, manager, employees will NOT listen.

Here again is Tamara’s last response… ”The City of Ludington did submit a grant application for the Stearns Beach Recreation Area at the dead end of Ludington Ave. Recommendations will be made by the Trust Fund Board December 7. There are other Trust Fund Board meetings prior to that meeting. All meetings are open to the public. Here is a link to the meeting schedule,http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-65134_65142-318972--,00.html. Let me know if you have any other questions.

The application number is TF16-0035. The Board does not make recommendations on projects until December 7 and it is open to the public. If you have items that you want to bring to our attention you can e-mail or send letters and I will include them with the grant application as part of our review. If you would like to bring things to the attention of the Board you may attend any of the meetings. I would recommend attending a meeting prior toDecember 7. I would recommend the October 19 meeting."

Grant Coordinator:

Tamara Jorkasky, (Region 2&4) Grants Mgmt

Section MDNR

Constitution Hall

525 W. Allegan St., P.O.Box 30425

Lansing, Mi. 48909

517-284-5948

[e-mail]

Trust Board:

Dr. William E. Moritz, Director
Department of Natural Resources
P.O. Box 30028
Lansing, MI 48909
517-284-6367
[e-mail]

Brad Canale
2028 Audubon
Ann Arbor, MI 48103
734-647-7038 - Business
[e-mail]

Steven Hamp
1520 Harding Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
313-961-0500 - Business
[e-mail]

Samuel Cummings, Chair
CWD Real Estate Investment
15 Ionia, SW, Suite 630
Grand Rapids, MI
616-726-1700 - Business
[e-mail]

Erin McDonough, President
Michigan Oil and Gas Association
124 W. Allegan Street, Suite 1610
Lansing, MI 48933
517-487-1092 – Business
[e-mail]

Or at: http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-65134_65142-39501--,00.html

Here's the online petition link: https://www.change.org/p/michigan-city-council-citizens-and-taxpaye...

Thank you to Shinblind and Aquaman for above contact info and thanks to everyone’s opposition.

WE MUST BE PERSISTENT AND RESILIENT.

SAVE THE WEST END!

[Brad]

Thank you Willy for your pics and for reposting!

Such beautiful pics.

Such a beautiful town.  (..Scent isn't always so....)

Such a beautiful beach.  Another nice new wheelchair accessible boardwalk.

And such a great West End!  Ludington Avenue West End has-- Best easy access for the playground.  Best easy access for someone that doesn't want to leave the car for a close-up view.  Best easy access to that view in a storm (fingers crossed).  There is so much parking there.  Always busy there, even before this weekend.  Hopefully visitors and locals won't have the West End taken away.  Locals don't want it changed.  Visitors need it not to change.  ....Do you?

Do your part and also promote it to others to.. SAVE THE WEST!  

Have a great weekend!

[XLFD]

I second all those motions.

[Willy]

The "thank you" goes to Shinblind. He's the author of this repost. He's right, this needs to be kept in front of the public lest we forget what City officials are trying to do. Thanks Brad for consolidating the original information contained here.

[Brad]

Thanks Willy for the heads up... (busy day)
Shinblind definitely deserves the appreciation for all the work on WES and all COL missteps.

[jfc123]

Nice post guys! Keep the movement alive. I am hoping for your success in getting this meaningless project corrected and nixed! There are way too many areas that actually need time and resources, PM Bayou, Ludington stink plant, etc. Maybe the resignation of the mayor was because for the pittance he is paid he sees what is coming and wants his family out of here when the storm hits?  This is John Shays mess!

With all of the issues here I sure hope there is no emergency manager in the future. At least without the removal of Shay!

[Brad]

The next meeting of the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Board is scheduled for 9:00 AM, Wednesday, June 15, 2016, Portage Point Inn, 8567 Portage Point Drive, Onekama, Michigan.

I hope someone from the WES movement can attend and be involved.  I can not.  I am working on a couple people to see if they'll go.  Even though it is a ways before the October meeting, it is the closest.

I am also trying to see if Grant Coordinator Tamara Jorkasky will stop in Ludington on her way there to visit with some of us.

Can anyone go?

[Willy]

Thanks for the update Brad

[XLFD]

I might be able to make it since it's fairly close.  I'll know more after the Monday city council meeting. 

[Brad]

Oh look...a very nice spot for an event tent that doesn't impede on the access to the West End!

In such a nice very spacious park.  That the COL already owns and only needs to up keep and did this morning.

[Brad]

Below is what I have recently sent to DNR Grant Coordinator Tamara:

Please add this email to the grant file for Ludington West End Project.  I'm adding some pictures to opposing approval of the grant from citizens, and tourists, and their opposing talking points.

Please let me know if you get this before this weeks meeting.

One of the activities the city government says the need for the proposed West End Project is for events and tent space.  However, they already use Stearns Park which is directly north of the West End proposed project for events as this past weekend represents in the first two pictures.  They also use several other areas and many parks in Ludington for events.  Stearns Park, along with Waterfront Park, and Copeyon park offer a much larger and usable space and most with electricity and water.  

The next picture shows how much the West End is used for parking.  It is very typical to not find a spot to park in the summer.  I know they say that tourists and citizens can park in the marina parking lot, but that will be full with RVs, fishermen and their trailers, and is not inviting to tourists or citizens.  They also suggest the new proposed parking over a block away, but that is not convenient for most anyone.  Most will end up parking in the residential area to the north of Ludington avenue. The residents there already are overwhelmed with extra vehicles there.  I can't think of many parents that will want to use the beach playground when they have to park a block or more away either.

With the last picture, something I find quite odd is the how the West End seems to be ignored from upkeep and even cleanup.  This picture was taken this past Friday morning.  The whole city seemed to be cleaned up and yet the West End is left like this.  The only section of snow fence on the beach and some cleanup of winter wash-up and miscellaneous trash.  For years, the road is left deteriorated and not maintained, unlike most other streets in town that are taken care of.

One last note is that visitludington.com even promotes that "Ludington has so many parks...", so another park is obviously not needed.  Another park will not bring any added benefit to Ludington for citizens and tourists, as we already love Ludington.  Plus, the city has many other infrastructure projects that need to be done or fixed.

Please do not approve the grant for any project on the West End.

[XLFD]

Great job, Brad, the grant coordinators need to see beyond the meeting minutes and petitions that there is a lot of resistance to this move willing to oppose it with the passion you present.  Reiterating your prior post as a notice:  The next meeting of the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Board is scheduled for 9:00 AM, Wednesday, June 15, 2016, Portage Point Inn, 8567 Portage Point Drive, Onekama, Michigan.

Be there and speak up if you can, because it is the closest these guys will ever be to us before this grant gets considered for this year.