SAUGATUCK, Mich. (AP/WXMI) — Just in time for the summer, Saugatuck is making an investment in Oval Beach, one of its biggest tourist attractions.
The city council just bought a beach cleaning machine. It’s an investment they hope will pay off for years to come.
The machine also known as a surf rake will be doing some very effective beach cleaning.
It is so much faster than manually raking the beach.
It is 7 feet wide and the machine has hundreds of metal claw like wires that dig deep into the sand, picking up trash and debris.
The machine cost the city $54,000, but factor in the cost of a tractor to pull it and the total investment is $100,000.
The Saugatuck city manager says purchasing the machine shows the community that the city council is making big investments into oval beach.
Other west Michigan lakeshore town like South Haven already use similar beach cleaning machines.
The new surf rake should arrive in June, just in time for the busy summer season.
