MUSKEGON, Mich. — There's a dune that's disintegrating at Kruse Park in Muskegon. The city of Muskegon hopes a staircase will change that.
The dune is damaged because people have developed their own walking path to access the beach, after Kruse Park was forced to close.
“We lost our beach access in 2020 due to Lake Michigan high waters,” Director of Parks and Recreation Kyle Karczewski said.
“We’ve been looking at different solutions for four years now,” Karczewski said.
The city recently decided the best course of action would be to add a staircase to hopefully encourage people to take the walkway rather than walk down the dune.
“Without the staircase, there’s been some severe erosion on our dunes," Karczewski said.
Anythony Goodwin loves Kruse Park.
“I come down just about every day,” Goodwin said.
He's ready to see the park preserved.
"I’m real glad because it’s saving the wear and tear and the erosion on the dunes. And it gives the people access, easier access to the lakefront. As well as the dogs,” Goodwin said.
Part of Kruse Park is dog-friendly. The staircase costs around forty grand. The alternative, adding in a ramp, which would make the beach more accessible for all, was nearly two million dollars.
“We haven’t shut the door on a ramp. It’s undergoing a parks master planning process. And that’s definitely a priority of it,” Karczewski said.
“We don’t think in any way the $38,000 steps is going to change our drive to deliver accessibility in Muskegon.”
The city of Muskegon says they work really hard to try to make as many of their beaches as handicap accessible as possible, sighting recent improvements at Pere Marquette Park and the Mobi Mat at Muskegon Lake inHarbour Towne Beach.
The staircase is expected to be completed by the start of summer.
