DCNT, a nonprofit entity, is made up of local volunteers — mountain cyclists and other outdoor enthusiasts — whose intent is to “support and create a trail system that creates opportunities for youth development in non-motorized sports, inspires community participation in developing and using the trail system and encourages nonresidents to view the trail system and its events as a destination.”

The sports park in Gladstone, located at 900 N. Bluff Dr., is a 177-acre recreational facility on city-owned land that formerly housed a landfill. It now features a baseball field, two Little League fields, the Gladstone Ski Hill with slopes for tubing, skiing and snowboarding, woods, the 27-hole North Bluff disc golf course, a cross-country ski trail, a playground and pickleball courts.

The trail proposed by DCNT would add a single-track loop designed for bicycles and walkers. The goal is to include skills features like a balance beam, teeter-totters, small drops and bridges — optionally accessible, but by-passable for less experienced riders — a pump track for skills practice and a turnoff with jumps.

DCNT aims to employ volunteer efforts and fund necessary outside work with grant money and donations, requiring nothing from the city beyond permission to use the land.

Delta County Non-Motorized Trails Secretary Rick Elrod speaks to the Gladstone City Commission about a proposal for a new trail at the John and Melissa Besse Sports Park. The commission approved the proposal. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)

“Obviously, that property just has a ton of potential, as we’ve seen over the years with the addition of the disc golf course and then now the pickleball courts. There’s still a lot of property out there and it’s a really beautiful area,” said DCNT Secretary Rick Elrod, addressing the Gladstone City Commission at their first regular meeting of the year. “We really feel like it has a lot of potential to draw more people to that area and become more of a destination for recreation in the area.”

The group had previously communicated with the Gladstone Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and Director Wendy Taavola about their hopes and designs for the potential course. Taavola relayed to the commission that the city’s recreation board recommended support of the project.

Concerns from city government were minimal.

Commissioner Steve O’Driscoll asked whether the westernmost part of the proposed bike loop would be in danger of being harmed by activity at Gladstone’s compost site. Elrod replied that the trail would avoid areas of activity as much as possible and only cross the access road briefly before returning to the woods. However, if city land did need to change and expand, forcing some rerouting of the trail, it would be doable, Elrod explained.

“It’s pretty exciting,” said Commissioner Judy Akkala, referring to the proposal as “wonderful” before making the motion to approve the trail at the sports park.

A map shows the recently-approved proposal for a new non-motorized route to be put in at the John and Melissa Besse Sports Park in Gladstone. Image courtesy of Delta County Non-Motorized Trails and the City of Gladstone.

The vote was unanimously in favor.

With the city’s blessing, DCNT will be able to start work this summer and begin applying for grants and seeking corporate contributions.

“We’ve got a lot of experience building trails. We built three miles of single track mountain bike trails out at Days River with our team,” Elrod said. “So we would get started on the perimeter trail ourselves. And then the idea would be to get all the skills features and kind of the final touches on the single track professionally built and designed. So we would secure grants to pay for and fund that portion.”

DCNT President Chuck Shurlow mentioned that the City of Gladstone has been great to work with and that DCNT will probably get some assistance during the build phase from city staff and equipment.

The end project would be a multi-use trail open to people and dogs for non-motorized activities.

Gladstone City Commissioner Brad Mantela, standing, is sworn in as mayor pro-tem on Monday. Seated are Commissioners Steve O'Driscoll, Judy Akkala, Mayor Joe Thompson and City Manager Robert Spreitzer. It was Spreitzer's first commission meeting as manager. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)

In other business at Monday’s Gladstone City Commission meeting:

• 426 N. 9th St., which houses Alger Delta Cooperative Electric Association, was awarded $7,461.42 through the Downtown Development Authority (DDA)’s facade grant program. The funds will “to assist with replacing the remaining six windows facing North 9th Street, installing a new front entrance door, and constructing a metal roof over the building’s ‘sided bump out’ as well as the public entrance, creating an awning-style covering,” according to a staff report. Alger Delta will have to match the funds provided by the city; the total projected cost for the work is $14,922.83. As with other facade grants the DDA awards, the business will have one year to complete the project.

• The commission approved the purchase of substation transformers for the electric department from Virginia Transformer Corp., the lowest bidder and a company recommended by Power System Engineering (PSE). “They are the only ones who realize the U.P. you can’t get overnight shipping to,” quipped Electrical Superintendent James Olson.

• Commissioner Brad Mantela was appointed as a second Gladstone representative to the Delta County Solid Waste Management Authority along with the other currently-serving representative, Public Works Director Barry Lund. Every three years, Gladstone and Escanaba alternate between having one representative or two.

• The commission approved multiple payments: to PSE for substation engineering, a $10,650 invoice; to Snow Machines, Inc., in the amount of $9,500 for a refurbished snow gun, the third at the Gladstone ski hill; and regular bills. The full payment register is available to the public for review in the agenda packet on the city website.

• The first disbursement of funds for wastewater collection system improvements — supported by the Michigan Finance Authority State Revolving Loan Fund — totaled $442,637.73, about a $3,000 change from an amount previously but inaccurately calculated. The total for this first payment “includes planning, design engineering, legal/financial services, bond counsel, and bid advertisement costs,” according to a staff report from Wastewater Superintendent Rodney Schwartz.

• A policy for lending supplies owned by the DDA was adopted.

• A “Downtown Action Plan,” meant to make the city’s tax incremental financing (TIF) plan more cohesive and marketable, was adopted. It outlines goals for the DDA and how they align with the city’s master plan.

• DDA Director Patricia West presented an annual review of all the duties, activities, sponsorships and achievements of the Gladstone DDA.

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Writer R. R. Branstrom can be reached at 906-786-2021, ext. 140, or rbranstrom@dailypress.net.