OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. — The Bass River Segment of the Idema Explorers Trail will be completed thanks to additional funding approved by the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has provided an additional $715,000 to be added to the project's funding, which now totals $840,000 in grants from the DNR.
In 2021, the Ottawa County Parks and Recreation Commission (OCPRC) held a fundraiser that raised over $7 million to support this project.
The Bass River Segment will connect nearly 7.5 miles of land and cost about $6,131,501 to complete.
The first phase is expected to begin in 2025. It will include the construction of a 3-mile, 10-foot wide path that connects the Idema Explorers Trail with the central access point for the Bass River State Recreation Area in Allendale Township. Officials say this will "significantly" increase access to the recreation area.
Additional construction projects in the coming years plan to connect the Bass River State Recreation Area with other Ottawa County parks.
Officials say the DNR and OCPRC worked closely to determine a route for the new path that will not impact other trail users, like mountain bikers and equestrian trail riders.
The Idema Explorers Trail will eventually span 36 miles along the Grand River Greenway. The OCPRC has been working to protect and preserve the greenway for several decades and connect it to other parks in the county.
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