County park wins state award for park design

AgricultureHealth

Feb 12

The Michigan Recreation and Park Association (mParks) has awarded the Ottawa County Parks and Recreation Commission a 2025 Park Design Award for its work on Ottawa Sands. Ottawa Sands was selected for its exceptional design and contribution to outdoor recreation in Ottawa County.

Located at 18280 North Shore Drive in Ferrysburg, Ottawa Sands is a 345-acre former sand mining site. Recent renovations represent a remarkable transformation to a vibrant ecological and recreational hub. The park features a universally accessible kayak launch, a 1.6-mile paved lake loop path, a modern restroom and parking area, and interdunal wetlands.

For many years, the land that is now Ottawa Sands was considered a prime location for future residential development.

“Ottawa Sands is a testament to the importance of creating expansive, accessible, and biodiverse spaces for current and future generations,” said Jason Shamblin, Director, Ottawa County Parks and Recreation Commission. “We’re honored to see this vision celebrated and proud to share this accomplishment with everyone who made it possible.”

To the north and south of Ottawa Sands is a six-mile, 2,400-acre public natural corridor stretching from the Grand River’s mouth in Grand Haven to P.J. Hoffmaster State Park in Muskegon County along the Lake Michigan Coastal Greenway.

The Park Design Award will be presented to Ottawa County Parks staff on Tuesday, March 4, at the mParks Conference and Trade Show in Traverse City, Michigan. For park information, visit https://miottawa.org/park-locations/ottawa-sands/.