Crowdfunding Campaign Launched for the "Linwood Waterfront Park on Saginaw Bay"

$25,000 goal to win matching grant through MEDC’s Public Spaces Community Places initiative

LANSING, Mich. – The Village of Linwood, the Townships of Fraser and Kawkawlin, and Bay County have partnered to transform a decrepit paved lot into a universally accessible greenspace and waterfront park at one of the only public scenic access points on the Saginaw Bay. This effort will be funded through the anticipated success of a crowdfunding campaign that the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), The Village of Linwood, Fraser Township, and Bay County announced today, which is being offered through the Michigan-based crowdfunding platform Patronicity.

If the campaign reaches its crowdfunding goal of $25,000 by Oct. 26th, the project will win a matching grant with funds made possible by MEDC’s Public Spaces Community Places program. For project details and to donate, please visit: patronicity.com/linwood.

“The Linwood Waterfront Park is placemaking at its finest,” said MEDC Regional Prosperity Managing Director Paula Holtz. “This project is collaborative and gives inclusive access to a beautiful public space that includes trailways, greenspace, picnic spots, an accessible fishing platform, and a boat launch. We are pleased to support and provide resources for this project through our Public Spaces Community Places program.”

This project has been a long time in the making: over forty years ago, community partners recognized how rare the incredible view was and took steps to save it for future generations. While these older efforts preserved the space for public use, the full use and access of the space was never achieved and the existing paved lot has continued to decay. Now, the leaders of this collaborative project want the full Great Lakes experience at the Linwood Waterfront Park.

Funding from this campaign will allow that full experience of the Saginaw Bay to be completed by removing the existing rubble along the shore and installing a new 400-foot-long steel seawall and creating a large greenspace park area. The waterfront edge will have a handrailing, and the grassed park will host all universally designed features, picnic tables, spotting scopes, and an ADA fishing platform at the deeper water end of the site. The greenspace will be separated from traffic by an accessible trail through the site which will extend to the Michigan Iron Belle Trail just 2,000 feet to the west. The Saginaw Bay is our Great Lakes frontage, and the public deserves a scenic access site on its shoreline.

"Bay County is proud to be a leading partner on this important community project. Our location on the Saginaw Bay defines us and the Great Lakes Bay Region, so creating public access to the Bay is essential to our residents and visitors,” said Jim Barcia, Bay County Executive. “Being part of the MEDC’s Public Spaces Community Places program will help fill the last gap in funding to complete this important project."   

Public Spaces Community Places is a collaborative effort of the MEDC, the Michigan Municipal League and Patronicity, in which local residents can use crowdfunding to be part of the development of strategic projects in their communities and be backed with a matching grant from MEDC. Communities, nonprofits and other business entities can apply at https://patronicity.com/puremichigan.

“The Linwood Waterfront Park is a great example of how community leaders can come together to transform underutilized areas and create a positive impact,” said Dan Gilmartin, Executive Director and CEO of the Michigan Municipal League. “Its new, universally accessible amenities will invite visitors to make connections with each other and the world around them. This project ensures that the only public access point of the Saginaw Bay is welcoming to all who wish to visit and enjoy what the shoreline has to offer.”

The Public Spaces Community Places initiative started in 2014 with MEDC providing matched funding of up to $50,000 for community improvement projects throughout Michigan. As of September 16, 2024, MEDC has provided more than $13.2 million in matching grants. Since the launch of the program, 391 projects have been successful in reaching their goal, with more than $15 million raised from 72,853 individual donors. Communities have a 97 percent success rate in achieving their goals and earning matching funds.

About Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with the focus on growing Michigan’s economy. For more information on the MEDC and our initiatives, visit www.MichiganBusiness.org. For Pure Michigan® tourism information, your trip begins at www.michigan.org. Join the conversation on: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn, and Twitter.