What is the history of this and other community-driven land purchases for Lake Lansing Park North?
What is little known is that a portion of the Lake Lansing North Park trail system is actually on 120 acres of land that are owned by a housing developer. The developer has graciously allowed park visitors access to its trails for the past 22 years.
Last year, it became a major issue in Meridian Township when the developer proposed a development of 151 houses on the land. Zoning hearings on the development attracted dozens of citizen speakers and even more letters, and were covered by regional TV stations and newspapers early in 2007. The Township Planning Commission recommended against rezoning, though HDI never presented its case to the Board of Trustees for final ruling. Now the community is excited in a good way, because HDI has indicated interest in selling the land to Ingham County to permanently preserve these beautiful woods and trails as part of the park. The Ingham County Parks Department is keen to pursue this and has challenged the community to raise $150,000 in order to provide a portion of the local match to a DNR Natural Resources Trust Fund grant for purchasing the land.
Lake Lansing, originally known as Pine Lake, served as a hunting and fishing ground for Indian tribes for centuries. Burial mounds have been found around the lake that pre-date the Chippewa Indians and Chief Okemos. The lake provided abundant fishing, and the surrounding woods were a source of wild game. In the early 20th century, Pine Lake became a fashionable summer colony, with summer homes built by prominent Lansing families such as R.E. Olds, whose home still stands on “the bluffs”. In 1986, Lake Lansing Park North was formed and currently consists of 410 acres of recreational area, woods, and trails. The Lake Lansing parks are home to hundreds of thousands of visits per year, with many coming from East Lansing and the Lansing metropolitan area.
For some long-time members of the community, this is déjà vu, because support from the Lake Lansing Nature Conservancy in 1986 made it possible to buy the adjacent 122 acres to add to Lake Lansing North Park. This now forms the eastern loop in the trail system. The Lake Lansing Nature Conservancy was led by Dave Card, Helen Tanner, Sally Wallace, Vince and Pat Gebes, and about 35 other active volunteers who obtained more than $60,000 in donations from hundreds of generous individuals and companies over a two-year period.
Now, Dave, Helen, Sally, Vince and Pat have joined the Preserve Lake Lansing Trails group, consisting of folks who actively support the community and enjoy using the park, including Nanette Alton, Cathy Benson, Marlene and Art Cameron, Dave Card, Pat and Vince Gebes, Laura Gilles, Shawn Grady, Lisa Grost, Noreen Harty, Claudia Kerbawy, Leslie Kuhn, Nancy Krupiarz, Curt Munson, Rory Neuner, Steve Schmidt, Helen Tanner, Tom Valli, Sally Wallace, Martha Davidson, Barb Sears and Doug Jung. We look forward to being as successful in 2008 as the Lake Lansing Nature Conservancy was in 1986! This is also a great way to build a community and regional network of individuals, clubs, and businesses with shared interests in nature and supporting our community’s great way of life.