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Macomb Orchard Trail News Volume # 5/Issue # 1 Winter 2003/2004 Published By: Friends of the Macomb Orchard Trail Chairman’s Column by Lee Sorensen As I regretfully leave the Executive Board of the Friends of the Macomb Orchard Trail and prepare to move to Wisconsin, where I grew up, I am deeply grateful to all of you who have worked so hard to bring the trail to near completion. First, I want to thank my wife, Marian. Her total support of the work of the Friends, and numerous unseen good works have enabled me to do all that I could to further the project. Next I want to thank my fellow Executive Board members, Christine Hamilton, Chuck Mabley, Rich Platz, Dave Rumohr, John Tarantino and Dennis Tipsword who have each brought special talents and dedication to the work of the organization. For five years, they stepped in at every available opportunity to ensure that jobs got done. I would also like to thank their spouses, who, like Marian, supported the work, making it possible for the board members to participate so effectively. Special thanks go to Lee Rumohr, who attends all the board meetings, and has been much involved in helping Dave keep the membership list up to date. Thanks also go the Bill Remer and P.J. Tomlian, original board members who helped us get started. P.J. had the monumental task of both secretary and membership director, during the founding and incorporation of the organization, and got us pointed in the right direction. Furthermore, I would like to thank Ted Gondert for ably editing the newsletters and Neil Kocsis for starting and maintaining our web site. No web site maintained by a volunteer is more up-to-date than ours. There are dozens of others who have helped in various ways through the years, but it would be nearly impossible to thank you all without leaving somebody out. Suffice it to say that your contributions are much appreciated, and that you have helped achieve the rapid progress of the trail project to date. The Macomb Orchard Trail has been a major focus in my life for the past five years. Leaving it will be the thing I most regret about my move to Wisconsin, but I know that the Friends are in good hands with the heart of the Executive Board still intact. I also know that strong leadership on the Trail Commission will see that the project stays on track. There is still a lot of work to be done to complete the trail, and I hope you will all continue to provide the support that will make the Macomb Orchard Trail the jewel of Macomb County.
The trail East of Powel Rd, the trestle over the North Branch of the Clinton River.
Elections in January The Friends of the Macomb Orchard Trail elections will be at the January meeting. See ballot enclosed in this newsletter to members and select up to THREE of the names to be on the board of directors for the Friends of the Macomb Orchard Trail. Mail it back to the address on ballot or bring to the January 27 2004 meeting at Camp Rotary Activity building on 29 Mile Rd east of Wolcott, Tuesday 7:00 PM NOTE: the board selects their members position; chairman, vice-chairman, secretary, etc.
Friends of the Macomb Orchard Trail clean up Springtime clean up dates will be decided next year. The Friends of the Macomb Orchard Trail had successful clean up days in 2003. Volunteers helped remove much debris and cut back small trees and brush from Dequindre to Campground Road. Next year we hope to get more volunteers to clean up some other sections of the trail. Dave Rumohr has contacted the Macomb County Community Corrections Office (MCCC) about getting "volunteers" from court ordered community service to help work on the Macomb Orchard Trail. These would be people with nonviolent crimes ordered to do community service by the court. Friends of the Macomb Orchard trail would need to work along with them and to show them what to do also to keep track of their hours of community service. Since we don’t know the skill levels of the "volunteers" they will NOT be using any power tools. The Friends of the MOT will provide tools and gloves etc. to the community service people along with restroom or portable field toilet facilities. Thank you to volunteers for trail clean up and promotions.
The Covered Bridge Project- Status Update By Neil Kocsis Well, here's where we are. The engineering company has completed load testing on all the bridges on the trail and they all exceed the maximum loading requirements of the Macomb Road Commission. The Trail Commission has talked to the Macomb Road Commission and the Road Commission wants the covered bridge opening to be 14 feet wide by 14 feet high. Since the current bridge structure is 14 feet 2 inches wide, this requirement seems do-able if we attach the covered bridge to the outside of the current structure. And, since the outside of the bridge has a beam made up of 6 inch timbers 27 inches high, there's plenty of beef to bolt the cover to. So, what's next? We're currently looking for an architect to design the covered bridge, so if you know an architect who might be interested, let me know (E-Mail: nkocsis@comcast.net). Because we can't use any Federal or State grant monies, their services would have to be "donated", which they may be able to use as a tax write-off since we're chartered as a non-profit organization. There may also be publicity opportunities. Once we have the plans, we'll know how much and what size of lumber we need (also donated). Then we'll be looking for volunteer labor to construct it. That’s where YOU come in! Have you ever built a covered bridge? Here's your opportunity!
Trailways master plan forum Feb 25 2004 There will be a Trailways master plan public forum on Wednesday February 25 2004 at the Activity Center in Camp Rotary on 29 Mile Rd, east of Wolcott at 7:00 PM. Same location as Friends of the Macomb Orchard Trail meetings. Please attend the meeting to give some feedback and information to planners from Michigan Department of Transportation and Macomb County Planning and Economic Development on how non-motorized trails and greenways in Macomb County can be developed. http://www.wadetrim.com/resources/macomb/index.htm
Macomb Orchard Trail Commission Planning the trail The MOT commission meets on the 4th Tuesday of the month at Camp Rotary on 29 Mile Rd, at 10:00 AM. Same day and location as Friends of MOT meetings at 7:00 PM. The Macomb Orchard Trail commission has been getting plans for development of the first section of the Macomb Orchard Trail from Dequindre Road to 29 Mile Road in Shelby and Washington Twp. Plans are to pave the trail with asphalt and have the crossing at 26 Mile Road moved to the intersection at Mound and use the traffic light there. The intersections at Campground Road and at 28 Mile Road will be moved closer to the existing road intersections. The railroad crossed those intersections at an angle and set back from the road intersections so they want to align them for safety. The short videotape promotion has been released along with full color brochures about the Macomb Orchard Trail.
The trail East of M53 (VanDyke), behind Ford Engine Plant
Board of Directors Chairman: Lee Sorensen Vice-Chairman: Dennis Tipsword Secretary: Christine Hamilton Treasurer: Chuck Mableyphone: Director: Rich Platz Director: John Tarantino Director: Dave Rumohr Newsletter Editor: Ted Gondert
Friends membership meeting dates Meeting dates on 4th Tuesday of month at Camp Rotary Activities Building The meetings of the Friends of the Macomb Orchard Trail are at 20505 29 Mile Road at 7:00 PM. on the fourth Tuesday of the month. (east of Wolcott Rd.) Next meeting will be January 27 2004. If you haven’t paid your dues for this year, please clip the membership form on the last page of this newsletter and send it in with your dues. Don’t miss out on what’s happening at this most exciting time yet for the trail. Note that we reduced our dues to $10 per household for this year – no limit on the number of persons. We hope to see more people at meetings now that work on the trail is progressing. Need volunteers to help with the trail cleanup, etc. and getting out information.
Membership Form Friends of the Macomb Orchard Trail membership expires in January. Please renew now if you have not done so since October of 2003. One year membership $10families included Name:__________________________________ Address:________________________________ City:___________________________________ State:_______ Zip code:_______________ Telephone:______________________________ E-mail__________________________________ Additional family members names and e-mail _______________________________________ _______________________________________ _______________________________________ Make check payable to and mail to: Friends of the Macomb Orchard Trail |
Friends of the Macomb Orchard Trail Inc. P. O. Box 385 Richmond, Michigan 48062-0385 www.orchardtrail.org |
