MJO Contracting works on the new boardwalk off of Pike Bay for Centennial Park in Chassell. A steel frame for the boardwalk, and its viewing area, was constructed and raised so that the winter elements would not destroy it like its wooden predecessor. (Ben Garbacz/Daily Mining Gazette)

CHASSELL– The old boardwalk along the shore of Pike Bay in Centennial Park has has been removed with its updated replacement under construction by MJO Contracting. The old boardwalk, which attached itself to two fishing piers, has been in continuous deterioration for the past few years, and had become a walking hazard with entire portions of it sinking into the bay. Exposed portions became more brittle and unable to hold the weight of some visitors.

The old boardwalk was near entirely made of wood and was set near the surface of the water. Because of this, the harsh winters would cause gradual decay and breakage from the ice. The new boardwalk and its viewing area is being made with a steel base, and raised well above the average water level, to ensure a resistance to the elements, and with it, a longer lifespan.

Vice Chair of the Chassell Township Planning Commission Keith Meyers said that many residents of the area have been desiring repairs for the boardwalk for several years but the Township Planning Commission wanted to provide something more.

“I think one of the things that’s going to be particularly cool about this is that it’s going to be fully accessible,” Meyers said. “One of the other projects within the grant was to put in this ADA accessible walkway from the pavilion all the way down here to the lake and and that this walkway will then connect to the the ramp.”

The $300,000 that is funding the project is from the Michigan DNR’s Spark grant of $495,000, which was established to expand access to indoor and outdoor recreation projects with little or no prior investment. The accessibility of the project includes the sidewalk that Meyers had mentioned, which will provide easy connection between some of the most prominent structures in Centennial Park. It should also keep them free of the marshy areas which made walking hazardous at times.

The other pieces of the overall project will include exterior doors to the pavilion restrooms and an adjustable boat ramp dock on the north side of the fixed boat ramp. A kayak attachment may be an addition sought out in the future but it will be a separate project.

Myers expressed that he is excited to soon have residents able to enjoy the restorations and expansions.

“It’s just going to make the park so much nicer to have [everything] available again,” he said. “And not just for for fishing, but for the general enjoyment of the park and also visually, because it just looked horrible in the ruins that it was in.”

The project is expected to be completed at the end of the year.