At our March 13 meeting Ric Pedler and Beth Miller explained the revised plan for using the $10,000 bequeathed to our club by the late George Wickstrom. The original plan included a bridge over the ditch west of the Wickstrom area which would have violated wording in an emergency plan for the Muskegon County Resource Recovery Center (MCRRC, formerly the Muskegon Wastewater System). Anita Friend of the MCRRC walked Beth and Ric around the Wickstrom acreage on Feb. 12, 2024.
This land is east and northeast of the MCRRC headquarters. It extends north to White Road and east to the Muskegon Michigan Area Rocket (MMAR) property, is relatively level, and includes grassland and a woodlot. Access will be from the MCRRC headquarters parking lot.
The George Wickstrom Trail will connect with the existing John Helstrom Trail. Creating the trail itself (including a safety barrier around the south end of the ditch) and placing signage (a large sign at the trailhead about George Wickstrom and a few "George Wickstrom Trail" signs along the way) will be provided by the MCRRC and paid for by the bequeathment. If there are remaining funds, they will be used toward construction of a Chimney Swift tower on the property (the balance of which would probably be provided by our club, but would need another membership vote).
