A beach in downtown Lansing? It's taking shape along Grand River near old City Market

Lansing State Journal

LANSING — Plans for a sandy beach downtown, along the Grand River's banks, are starting to take shape.

Crews have installed sand in an area in front of the former City Market, 325 City Market Drive, west of North Cedar Street.

The beach is part of a $1.8 million project called Rotary Park that's expected to open for free public use by the end of this month, said Laurie Baumer, the Capital Region Community Foundation's executive vice president.

"We didn't make this up out of thin air," Baumer said of the beach concept. "We had urban planners out from Michigan State and elsewhere who weighed in on what exactly we should be doing with the riverfront to make it a more vibrant and user-friendly amenity."

The beach area at Rotary Park in downtown Lansing seen Thursday under construction. The entire $1.8 million park is expected to open by the end of this month.

While it's called a beach, this area of the park isn't conducive to swimming or wading.

Sand installed in the beach won't touch the river and will be surrounded by a seawall so people can't enter the river. Plans for the beach have been approved by the state Department of Environmental Quality, Baumer said.

Lounge chairs and umbrellas will be available in the beach area once it opens. The park will also feature a plaza, sculpture patio, outdoor gas fireplace and solar-powered lighted forest that can change colors.

The foundation has partnered with the City of Lansing to maintain all of Rotary Park. The park will be open from from dawn to dusk every day and be monitored 24/7 with security cameras

"We are taking responsibility for some of the more unusual amenities," said Baumer, referring to the outdoor fireplace.

An area alongside the Grand River at the new Rotary Park in downtown Lansing where boats will be able to moor. The $1.8 million park is expected to open at the end of this month.

Funding for the park comes from the foundation, private businesses, individual donors and community organizations.

An additional $700,000 will support proposed plans for a riverside classroom outside Impression 5 Science Center and an outdoor performance stage near the Brenke Fish Ladder in Old Town, Baumer said.

A timeline for the proposed riverfront classroom and performance stage haven't been determined.

The stage will be built south of Cesar Chavez Plaza, 230 E. Cesar Chavez Ave., possibly within the fish ladder's current structure, Baumer said.

One donor has already committed $50,000 toward the riverfront classroom at the museum, Baumer said.

Baumer estimates at least $1 million will be needed to complete that project and up to $400,000 for the outdoor stage in Old Town.

Other projects planned include new kayak launches along the riverfront and park improvements in the Cherry Hill Neighborhood, Baumer said.

The beach area at Rotary Park in downtown Lansing seen under construction Thursday, August 1, 2019. The park is located along the Grand River just west of Cedar Street.

'A step forward'

Paul Brogan, 37, co-owner of River Town Adventures, said he's excited about Rotary Park's opening. He considers it a bold move by donors who believe in the riverfront's potential.

"I can't tell you how many times I've heard that Lansing never uses the river the right way and is always building cement structures," said Brogan, a city native. "This is a step forward. There's always going to be naysayers, but this is a great activation of the space."

River Town Adventures offers canoe and kayak rentals near the former City Market.

The business recently partnered with Chris Chamberlain, owner and captain of the Grand Princess Riverboat, to offer rides downtown this summer and fall.

Jennifer Briere, 45, of East Lansing, visited a beach area in Detroit with her two children a few weeks ago and looks forward to seeing how the concept is received in Lansing.

East Lansing resident Jennifer Briere and her two children recently visited a enclosed beach area in downtown Detroit. She's interested to see how the concept will be received in Lansing.

"Maybe people are thinking of a beach as a place to swim," Briere said. "I think of it more like an oasis within the city, kind of a getaway place."

The Detroit River Conservancy and other community partners have plans to open the $3.9 million Atwater Beach project along the east riverfront next month.

It won't have access to the water, but will include a sand-filled play area and a refreshment venue.

Grand River conditions

The Ingham County Health Department deems the river in the downtown area safe for boating, kayaking and canoeing.

But health officials have cautioned people a few times this summer to avoid contact with the river because of elevated bacteria levels, especially if they have open wounds.

Amanda Darche, a health department spokeswoman, said Thursday officials reported elevated levels of E. coli in the Grand and Red Cedar rivers and Sycamore Creek on July 23.

E. coli is an organism that indicates the presence of sewage or wildlife waste.

The health department tests water quality in local rivers once a week. Results can be found online at https://bit.ly/2ZkQ3Rf.

The State Journal reported in February the City of Lansing likely will need more than a decade to join more than 60 Michigan communities that already have replaced aged, leak-prone infrastructure.

Until then, potentially hundreds of millions of gallons of sewage-laden water will pour into the city's rivers every year.

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Eric Lacy is a reporter for the Lansing State Journal. Contact him at 517-377-1206 or elacy@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @EricLacy.

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