Following Wednesday’s Ticker article, we felt we should reach out to you, our loyal supporters, and explain the piece a bit (if you missed it and want to learn more about the current discussion to create a 200 Acre Park in East Bay Township, you can read about it here).
I think we’d sum up the current situation as “cautiously optimistic.” After all, what is better than preserving 80 acres? Preserving 200! We hope that the revised plan can happen, but there are a lot of unknowns that have to be worked through in the coming months. First, East Bay Township needs to confirm that they are interested in pursuing the project. Second, all the parties have to come together with a common vision. We are eager to hear that the principles of stewardship we hold for the land can be largely honored going forward. Lastly, (and most importantly) this all depends on a successful grant application to the state. This last part is tricky; it might not be until 2021 until we find out whether the state will grant the funds.
In addition to being cautiously optimistic, I think we are also a little proud today. All of us should be! If Holiday Woodlands Preserve had not been saved, we’d be talking about a 200-acre housing development. Many thanks to all of you for your vision for Traverse City, your generosity, and your support of the project.
Again, although we are cautiously optimistic, we can not know what the future holds, so we will continue on the path we are on. We have a monthly mortgage to pay and other maintenance expenses, so we we won’t take our foot off the gas when it comes to fund raising. If the merged project doesn’t come to pass, we know there is considerable support for finishing what we started.
We will keep you informed as the situation evolves. Thank you for your continued interest and support.
Sincerely,
The HWP Board
Help us preserve the wonder of nature! 