Project partners begin to mark the preferred location of future trails at a public meeting in the Harbor Springs Community

The Harbor Area Regional Board of Resources (HARBOR, Inc.) and a local government partnership including the City of Harbor Springs and the Townships of Friendship, Little Traverse, Pleasantview and Readmond were selected to participate in the Partnerships for Change Program. The Harbor Springs Area Community has a substantial recent history of working together, across jurisdictional boundaries, to achieve significant preservation goals. This project sought to develop and implement a Joint Recreation Plan within the represented jurisdictions.

Most public surveys within the project area have identified waterfront access and trails as the highest priority recreational needs. Yet, it is difficult and not usually cost-effective to undertake development of waterfront and trails individually. Waterfront is costly and most often benefits residents of adjacent jurisdictions as well as those living where the waterfront is located. Trails, by their nature, cross boundaries and benefit "communities" more than jurisdictions. This project meshes well with community goals and represents a significant opportunity for this partnership to accomplish something jointly that would not be feasible individually.

Community Update: The project partners have since developed and adopted a comprehensive recreation plan for the community and are working to implement several of the goals and objectives outlined in the plan -- specifically, the Safe Routes to School initiative.