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May 16, 2000GT Commons parcel preservedTRAVERSE CITY - A 27-acre tract on the Grand Traverse Commons campus will be forever preserved as public parkland through a conservation easement brokered by the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy.Conservancy officials announced completion of the long-negotiated easement last week. The parcel is located along North Long Lake Road just south of Medical Campus Drive, and its market value is estimated at a minimum of $1.3 million. It includes 1,900 feet of frontage on a tributary of Kids Creek, open fields, pine and hardwood forests and wetland areas. "The signing of this easement demonstrates the commitment of the Commons board to preserve the conservation areas identified in the district plan," said Dan Tholen, chairman of the Commons board. "We hope this easement will set the tone for the permanent protection of those remaining conservation areas, which are still vulnerable to development." Ownership of the land was transferred from the Grand Traverse Commons Redevelopment Corp. to Garfield Township upon completion of the easement. Conservancy officials said the land will be open to the public for "passive" recreational uses like hiking. "It was important to the township that the land was protected with a conservation easement because we want to protect in perpetuity today what could be overturned by another township board in the future," Garfield Township Supervisor Lee Wilson said. The conservancy and the Grand Traverse Soil and Water Conservation District are sponsoring a guided tour of the Commons' historic arboretum area on Wednesday at 5 p.m., in conjunction with National Preservation Week 2000. More information on the event is available by calling 929-7911. |
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