Arbutus Lake Park, situated on the northern edge of Arbutus Lake near Traverse City, MI, was upgraded by East Bay Township to modernize amenities, address shoreline erosion, and improve user safety and accessibility. Frequented by local residents for water access, picnics, community gatherings, and fishing, the park was transformed to enhance its year-round recreational and water-related uses for all. Wade Trim provided design, construction engineering, and grant administration assistance for the improvements.

The design features a ledgestone seawall, naturalized shoreline, ADA-friendly fishing pier and kayak launch, paved walkways, bathroom facilities, a reconstructed parking lot, and new site furnishings. Balancing natural habitat improvements and the shoreline protection needed to control erosion without sacrificing park space was challenging. The new stone seawall reduces the length of hardened shoreline while providing a centralized staircase into the water. Plantings, live-staking, and coir logs were added to lengthen the naturalized shoreline within the site’s boundaries. The ecologically friendly design of the seawall will preserve and enhance the Arbutus Lake shoreline for community enjoyment and wildlife habitat.

Equally funded by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Trust Fund Grant and the Township, the project design includes a second phase for a new playground structure that can be implemented in the future. Wade Trim’s grant administration assistance included monitoring and reporting project progress, coordinating with grant administrators, and confirming that all design and construction activities adhere to grant guidelines.