Beaver Island Michigan

just curious about the latest on the parking lot proposal by the playground. anything new??

The parking lot in question will certainly alleviate the parking crunch next to the park but it would be nice if something other than asphalt could be used. Square concrete pads of sufficient size to bear the weight of vehicle wheels and spaced so the water could drain would be more attractive and eliminate the need for a drain and oil water separator. Grass would eventually grow up between the pads and I suspect the natural â??bugsâ?￾ would provide bioremediation for any oil and gas that would drip into the sand. It would certainly look better than a sheet of black asphalt.

Bob Tidmore

Bob, It goes without saying that the "perfect world" would be all grass or "pavers" or bricks but the truth of the matter is that asphalt (or cement) is the only realistic way to place the parking lot. If it were gravel there would be far more incidence of silt flowing toward the bay, puddles and a difficult path for people with small children making their way to the beach. I saw some of the staking for the lot and must say it encroachs far less onto the rectory lawn than one might suspect. If you follow a sight line down the existing main street and take into account the curviture of the bay it will not be bad. I like the idea of parking moving off the corner, and, if we are going to be seeing more people on the island, want it or not, we have to do these things.