New ninja course and zip lines open in Coldwater Twp.
COLDWATER TWP. MI. — Township Supervisor Don Rogers decided to open the new section of the Sprague Road township park July 30 after kids began climbing over the fence to play on the colorful additions.
Standing near a newly installed ninja-style climbing structure July 31, Rogers described the latest additions as part of a long-term investment in recreation behind the expanded township hall at 319 Sprague Road.
Behind him were the three 60-foot zip lines, including one designed specifically for small children and people with disabilities.
“It’s just more of what we want to add to provide to our residents and the public in our playground,” Rogers said.
A new pavilion is still under construction and is expected to be finished soon. It will include picnic tables, grills, and electrical hookups for crockpots and other equipment, giving families and community groups a shaded place to gather and picnic.
More: New installations improve Coldwater Township park
A rain garden goes between the pavilion and play equipment to handle stormwater from the area and the adjacent eight pickleball courts to the south.
The park began in 2015 with an oil and gas grant from the state DNR that required a local match, including a pavilion, plant-roofed bathrooms, and rain gardens.
The second phase added more playground equipment and the pickleball courts.
There are musical structures that produce sound when struck along the paths.
The park also features a low-impact exercise area with several pieces of equipment and printed instructions, which Rogers says “gets used quite a bit”
Rogers estimates the township has spent about $230,000 on the most recent phase.
Coldwater Township has received a total of $1.366 million from four EGLE grants for public benefit projects, specifically including parks, the addition to the township hall, and roads.
The Michigan EGLE grants Renewables Ready Communities Awards to communities that host utility-scale solar farms, wind projects, or battery storage facilities.
Those EGLE grant funds must be used by the end of 2028 or be repaid.
The township receives 50% up front and the remainder when the project goes online.
In addition, Rogers negotiated annual community benefit agreement funds from developers.
This is in addition to tax revenues from the projects.
There is room for just one more project on the 5.66-acre lot, which is under consideration for next year.
The area is fenced and open daily from 7 a.m. until dusk, or until 10 p.m. for the pavilions.
Security cameras are monitored at the park and the township hall.
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Contact Don Reid, dReid@USATodayCo.Com
This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: New ninja course and zip lines open in Coldwater Twp.
