Peninsula Township ParksThe Peninsula Township Parks Committee is comprised of seven members who are appointed by the township board. Their names and positions are listed below. Each member can be reached by email.
The parks committee has the responsibility of developing and operating all the township parks and works with the township building and grounds staff to maintain the parks for the benefit of all park users. Your comments and questions concerning Peninsula Township parks are very valuable to the parks committee, and we urge you to share your concerns at any time by emailing any of the members or writing to the committee: Peninsula Township Parks Committee 13235 Center Road Traverse City, Michigan 49686 If your concerns are urgent or involve an issue of public safety, your emailed or written comments will receive a prompt response from a parks committee member. General questions and concerns are addressed at the parks committee monthly meetings, and you can expect both timely consideration and a response. Parks committee meetings are held on the fourth Wednesday of each month at the township hall and are open to the public. Parks committee meeting dates are available on the township website. Peninsula Township Parks Committee members include:
If you have questions about a specific park, please contact the parks committee member assigned to that park: Dave Murphy = Pelizzari Natural Area Michele Zebell = Bowers Harbor Park and Extension (for pavilion reservations, see below) Mike Skurski = Haserot Beach Mike Skurski = Kelley Park Mary Beth Milliken = Archie Park TBD = Murray Trailhead TBD = Ridgewood Trailhead Pete Dahl = Old Mission State Park Pelizzari Natural Area (map opens in new tab) An enormous amount of work has taken place at Pelizzari Natural Area (PNA) since Peninsula Township formally took ownership in July of 2009. Please stay on the marked trails and keep your dog on a leash while hiking this lovely addition to the township's parks system. Contact Dave Murphy at davemurphy6943@gmail.com for questions about Pelizzari Natural Area. Bowers Harbor Park (map opens in new tab) Facilities include:
Bowers Harbor Park Expansion (map opens in new tab) Peninsula Township, with the assistance of grant funds from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund, the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, and significant private donations, recently acquired 60 acres of land adjacent to the current Bowers Harbor Park. This expansion of the existing park will enhance an already popular recreation destination in Peninsula Township to include additional non-motorized trails for access to natural and recreational resources. Please note: there is now a mowed, one-mile-long temporary trail in the park expansion area; please be aware of poison ivy observed alongside the trail in some locations. Contact Michele Zebell at mzebell.parks@gmail.com for questions about Bowers Harbor Park Expansion. Haserot Beach (map opens in new tab) The only improved public beach access on the Old Mission Peninsula is located at Haserot Beach on Old Mission Harbor. View the Grand Traverse County Beach Monitoring Dashboard (website opens in new tab). The dashboard is updated every Thursday throughout the summer and show the results of weekly E. coli sample results. The township boat launch formerly located at Haserot Beach was destroyed in a winter storm and is no longer usable. The township hopes to construct a new boat launch at nearby Kelley Park, hopefully in the spring or summer of 2024. Facilities include:
Contact Mike Skurski at Parksmike49686@gmail.com for questions about Haserot Beach. Kelley Park (map opens in new tab) Kelley Park is a DNR-owned, township-managed park. Peninsula Township is in the process of seeking a grant to construct both a single-lane motorized boat launch and a universally accessible carry-down kayak and canoe launch. Contact Mike Skurski at Parksmike49686@gmail.com for questions about Kelley Park. Archie Park (map opens in new tab) Archie Park is a roadside park on M-37, near Gray and Bluff Roads, used by a variety of people. Michigan Department of Transportation employees use the area for temporary storage of equipment and as a place for eating lunch. Bicyclists use the park as a parking lot and staging area for tours of Old Mission Peninsula. As traffic increases, additional use is anticipated for this small pocket park, which provides the only public access to East Bay south of Old Mission except for the DNR boat launch site at East Shore Road and M-37. Facilities include:
Contact Mary Beth Milliken at mbmillikenonpeninsula@gmail.com for questions about Archie Park. Mission Point Lighthouse Park (map opens in new tab) Because of its location at the tip of the peninsula, where M-37 ends and where the historic lighthouse sits, this park is seeing an annual increase in users. It is commonly utilized as a year-round facility. Facilities include:
Contact Mission Point Lighthouse Park Manager Ginger Schultz at missionpointlight@gmail.com or 231.645.0759 for questions about this park. Old Mission State Park (map opens in new tab) Adjacent (south) to Mission Point Lighthouse Park, this land was acquired by lease with the help of the Department of Natural Resources and the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund. Facilities include:
Historic Church in Old Mission (map opens in new tab) This small historical site has recently been discovered by the public since the Old Mission Peninsula Historical Society installed historic documents. On-site parking is available, and the church is open daily. Contact Chris Rieser at crieser99@sbcglobal.net for questions about the Historic Church. Dougherty House (map opens in new tab) Open June - October, Thursday - Saturday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 1 to 5 p.m. Contact Chris Rieser at crieser99@sbcglobal.net for questions about the Dougherty House. |
 Haserot Beach and Boat Launch  Haserot Beach  Bowers Harbor Park  Bowers Harbor Park  Lighthouse Park  Lighthouse Park  Pelizzari Natural Area  Archie Park |
Park Bench Donation Policy and Application (website opens in new tab)
Pavilion ReservationsThe pavilions at Bowers Harbor park can be reserved for a fee June through September. Please contact Peninsula Township Office Manager Susan Piehl at (231) 223-7322 ext. 1 or by email at officemanager@peninsulatownship.com for availability. You will need to submit a Reservation Request form (website opens in new tab). No reservations will be made until the fee and a completed Reservation Request form have been received. If you are serving alcohol, you will need to submit proof of liquor liability coverage.
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