A new playground – complete with swings, two climbing rock walls, three slides, and nature interpretive panels – will be unveiled at a grand opening on Saturday, May 25, at 11 a.m. at Van Riper State Park, the Department of Natural Resources announced today.
The playground was made possible by donations secured by the Friends of Van Riper and Craig Lake State Parks. The group has been at work on improving the play area for three years, and this new playground is a $26,000 first step in an ongoing upgrade of playground facilities at the park.
“The staff at Van Riper would like to thank our Friends group for their tireless work on behalf of this park,” said Van Riper State Park Manager Douglas Barry. “State parks are places where people can get outdoors, enjoy nature and reconnect with each other. We’re proud to offer more quality recreation resources that are inviting to visitors of all ages.”
Barry and The Friends Group specifically highlighted the contributions and efforts of:
- A. Lindberg & Sons;
- Ishpeming Concrete;
- Auto Value of West Ishpeming;
- Empire Steel Workers Union 4950
- Les & Ada Ruohomaki; and
- All of the campers who, over the past three years, have donated, whether by purchasing fundraising items or donating cans and bottles.
Barry said the Friends group is still raising funds and looking into grant opportunities for future playground enhancements at Van Riper State Park. High on their list is funding for a $300,000 playscape that would include multiple slides, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant swings, nature-themed interpretive panels, rock walls and monkey bars.
Van Riper State Park, which features a half-mile of frontage with a sand beach on Lake Michigamme, is located just west of Champion on US-41 in Marquette County. For more information on Van Riper and other Michigan state parks visit the DNR website at www.michigan.gov/stateparks.
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