In 1972, Escanaba acquired 40 acres for $1 with the stipulation that it be used for “public purposes”. Only 5 acres remain; the rest sold long ago.

The remaining parcel was afforded park status on April 21, 1977, when the city council approved a Planning Commission recommendation for “(e)stablishment of a park north of Third Avenue South and west of 30th Street,” dedicated to “recreational use” under the jurisdiction of the Recreation Board. This action was significant, as Escanaba’s charter mandates that parks cannot be sold or converted without 2/3rd approval in a vote of the electorate. Three years prior, the council “took no action” when the city attorney concluded such designation “could very well require a vote of the people” if that “triangular parcel was needed in the future for some other purpose.” Despite this, the council acted, and the most recent five-year Recreation Plan still recommends the “potential to create a pump track or develop it into a small park for residents on the west end of the city to enjoy.”

Despite history, the council recently voted to sell this property for condo development. The action followed a downstate attorney opinion that “the property likely is not a ‘park’ under the charter.” The full opinion was reviewed only under the cloak of the attorney-client privilege.

Council deliberation did not address why, after nearly 50 years, the charter no longer applies. Escanaba citizens deserve transparency with such a monumental decision; the council should release both attorney opinions from 1974 and 2025.