Michilimackinac State Park, situated just below the bridge on the southern shore of Lake Huron, is slated for a full revamp. The proposed project includes a pavilion, accessible picnic areas and a pergola for weddings, interpretive signage, refreshed landscaping and irrigation.Michigan Department of Natural Resources
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MACKINAW CITY, MI — A Michigan company is getting behind a $3.5 million campaign to overhaul a historic state park known as a premiere spot to view the Mackinac Bridge.
Meijer is the lead donor for the “Where Michigan Meets” campaign to redesign and renovate Michilimackinac State Park. The Grand Rapids-based company donated $500,000 in support of the project.
Executive Chairman Hank Meijer presented a giant check to the Mackinac Associates, the friends group for Mackinac State Historic Parks, during the campaign kickoff event Tuesday morning at the Colonial Michilimackinac Visitor’s Center under the Mackinac Bridge.
The proposed $3.5 million overhaul at Michilimackinac State Park, situated just below the bridge on the southern shore of Lake Huron, includes a boardwalk with Mackinac Bridge views, a pavilion, accessible picnic areas, a pergola for weddings, interpretive signage, and refreshed landscaping and irrigation.
Work could begin during fall 2027, depending on the success of the fundraising campaign, said Michelle Walk, chief development officer for Mackinac State Historic Parks.
Michilimackinac State Park, situated just below the bridge on the southern shore of Lake Huron, is slated for a full revamp. The proposed project includes a pavilion, accessible picnic areas and a pergola for weddings, interpretive signage, refreshed landscaping and irrigation.Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Hundreds of thousands of people visit the park annually, according to Mackinac Associates. The redesign would affect a 15-acre area between Colonial Michilimackinac and Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse.
“There may be sections of the space closed where there is active construction but at no point will the entire park space be closed,” Walk said. “It will not affect entrances to Colonial Michilimackinac or the lighthouse.”
The park was designated in 1909, making it the second oldest in the state behind only Mackinac Island State Park. It served as a campground for many decades and was once home to a maritime park.
“Where Michigan Meets” is the largest undertaking to date for Mackinac Associates, which was founded in 1980 and has helped with every major project within the historic parks since then.
Including the corporate gift from Meijer, “Where Michigan Meets” has raised $1.1 million so far, Walk said.
Find the donation link here.
Major initiatives over the years include the reconstruction of Fort Holmes, exhibits at the Biddle House, featuring the Mackinac Island Native American Museum, major updates to the Kids’ Quarters at Fort Mackinac, new cannons at Fort Mackinac and Colonial Michilimackinac, and funding for Mackinac State Historic Parks’ education outreach programs.
