Lakeside Park Improvements

  • Location: City of Port Huron, Michigan
  • Construction Value: $500K
  • Client: City of Port Huron, Michigan

Project Description:

ROWE developed concepts and design, and provided construction oversight, for redeveloping a regional beach site on the Lake Huron shoreline. The design was completed in four months to keep the project on track for being completed within one year. The high-demand site is visited by approximately 4,000 people each summer weekend.

The scope of the project included:

  • Replacement of an aged restrooms/concession building with one that is angled to provide a view of the lake, allow oversight of the splash pad from the concession window, and reduce the potential for crime by eliminating blind sides from the street the previous building created. Individual bathroom stalls and accessible changing areas are in the new building.
  • Construction of a splash pad incorporating replicas of local features, (e.g. Fort Gratiot Lighthouse and the nearby Bluewater Bridge) and universally-accessible features.
  • Relocation of a police substation to increase security.
  • Creation of universally-accessible beach showers, drinking fountain, beach access, and lakefront overlook.

This was the first major development project for the city parks and recreation director. ROWE provided an educational role between the parks and recreation director and city engineering department throughout the project, including administration of multiple state and private funding sources and the city staff’s in-kind labor efforts. The project was awarded the 2016 Park Design Award from the Michigan Recreation and Park Association.