OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. — Ottawa County Coordinator of Park Planning and Development Curt Terhaar says he never thought the county would own the 345-acre property now known as Ottawa Sands Park.
“We got the land kind of unexpectedly," Terhaar said "And it was a stretch for us to get it. We didn’t have a lot of funds from our regular sources."
But now, not only does the county own the land. They have a more than 20 million dollar master plan to turn the sand mine into something spectacular.
Come 2024, the county says they will complete a project that will install a yurt village and treehouse village on the property.
The campgrounds will be outfitted, making them accessible for even the novice camper.
Made possible by a 2.5 million dollar donation, Terhaar says this is the stuff kids dream about, for people of all ages.
“We just thought it would be really neat to get people up in the canopy, to enjoy that. Just like kids built treehouses long ago,” Terhaar said.
Prices haven't been determined yet. The project is in its infancy. But it's a step in a different direction for a park on the lakeshore.
"We hope to provide something different, a unique experience," Terhaar said.
