Projects

Spray by the Bay Waterpark

Located inside the Bay City State Recreation Area, the Spray by the Bay water park opened in 2011.

It is located next to the Play By The Bay Playscape. Using the Spray Park is free although entrance to the Recreation area requires a State of Michigan Recreation vehicle passport to park inside the State Park grounds.

A Spray Park Endowment Fund has been established at the Bay Area Community Foundation to help provide maintenance in the years ahead. You can donate to this fund by calling 989-893-4438 or on-line at www.bayfoundation.org.

Hours of operation are 10am-8pm 7 days a week beginning the Friday before Memorial Day until Labor Day.

Play by the Bay Playscape

Play by the Bay is an elaborate 12,000 square foot playscape with a view of the Saginaw Bay, built for the enjoyment of our younger visitors. This play structure is nearing the end of its useful life and the Park Friends group are hoping to replace it within the next few years.

Trail Projects

The park has 7 miles of wooded multi-use trails, most of which are also part of the 17.5 miles of the County's Riverwalk/Railtrail system. Two 4-story observation towers are located along the trails, for a better view of the wildlife on the Tobico Marsh, one of the largest remaining freshwater, coastal wetlands on the Great Lakes. Some examples of future projects include connections to the cross-state Iron Belle Trail and to the Saginaw Bay Blueways Trail, a water trail for canoes and kayaks.

Tree Plantings

Because of the Emerald Ash Borer, the park has recently lost 520 ash trees in the picnic area and is continually looking for other invasive scourges, such as Asian Longhorned Beetles and Oak Wilt, that could further decimate park trees. A robust tree planting program has already begun for planting trees of diverse species.

Park Improvment Projects

The park has a Management Plan calling for a number of projects that could be completed over the next ten years, pending funding, all aimed at improving or adding to the recreational, cultural, and educational opportunities the park's resources have to offer. One recent example where we have been partnering with local community organizations is improving access to the swim beach. The Park Management Plan components, both Phase 1 and Phase 2, are available for review at http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-10365_76344_31399---,00.html.

The park also has a short list of opportunities for legacy donations at
http://www.michigandnr.com/Publications/PDFS/RecreationCamping/giving_guide/.

Many of the programs, events, and projects affiliated with the Bay City State Recreation Area exist due to the donations received by the FriendsofPark.org organization. Friends can make a general donation or specify a favorite project to help. To learn more about the many donation opportunities click the donate button above.

Friends of Park Projects