Subscribe By Email
Enter your email address:











Park Director's Blog

27

From Flowers to Fungus
By Amy McMillan

The temperature and calendar just don't seem to be in sync this year, but to no one's dismay, the flowers have taken advantage of the warm sunny days to bloom for us a little earlier this year.  The marsh marigolds and the beautiful (and protected) trillium are in full bloom.
 
So are all of those visitors in the parks just enjoying the flowers?  Perhaps they are in search of the delicious delicacy of the mushroom family:  the morel.
 
Last year the park commission relaxed the park rule regarding the removal of "fungus" from the parks.  The only place you can't pick mushrooms is inside For-Mar Nature Preserve and Arboretum...but the rest of the parks are fair game!  All we ask is that you call our office (810) 736-7100 and leave your name and home zip code.  That's just a little tidbit of information we use to track where our park users hail from. 

You don't even have to tell us which park you are mushroom hunting in. After all, we wouldn't want you to give up any secrets of where you find those elusive mushrooms.
 
So while you are out there picking mushrooms, bring a camera and take home a picture of the beautiful blooms that will cross your path along the way.
 
 
Share |
10

Allllllll Aboard
By Amy McMillan

 
At a community event I attended a few weeks ago, a guest told me that one of the things he enjoyed most about his visits to Crossroads Village and the Huckleberry Railroad was how the staff and volunteers share their own love for the Village and Railroad with our visitors. “You can tell people who work there really like working there”, he said.

Huckleberry Railroad Conductor Gary Mahnke was just one of those people. He loved people and people loved him right back. Never shy in expressing his great affection for the steam engines and railcars, Gary had a knack for turning first-time visitors into repeat customers, and occasional train riders became true Railfans.

Gary often said that he was never going to retire from his job because he loved the railroad so much, and as recently as a few weeks ago, he joked that he would leave the Village “feet first.”

Our beloved friend and conductor died suddenly just two days after Christmas. He was at the Village, proudly wearing the special tartan vest he had made to go with his conductor’s uniform this season. The sweet irony of his joke was repeated often by his family and friends in the days that followed, and it has brought us all some comfort in the midst of our great sadness.

Alllllll Aboard Gary, you will be missed.
 
Share |
22

My Holiday Wish For You
By Amy McMillan

 

The sun sets on the Parks for the winter season but there is still plenty to see and do!The turtles in the pond at For-Mar have begun their long winter’s nap, and robins have departed for warmer climes. Deer are foraging on acorns, still easy pickings in the snowless woodlands. Outdoor lovers have dusted off their skis and snow shoes, and Crossroads Village is humming with visitors celebrating the season. Even with no snow, the mood is festive, the lights are twinkling, and the laughter of children makes even the most “humbug” of us smile.
This is a magic time of year for me, and it’s not the glitz that I treasure but the memories of enjoying the Genesee County Parks this past year with friends and family. It is about being surrounded by natural and historic resources that thrive because the people of Genesee County support them, along with community-caring funders such as the Ruth Mott and the CS Mott Foundations.
This is a magic time because in the midst of awful economic conditions across the country, the Genesee County Parks are welcoming more visitors than ever. As was the vision of their creators decades ago, the parks continue to be a wonderful place – the perfect place – for family gatherings, solitary walks, nature watching, education, meditation and a rousing game of disk golf, for teaching a grandchild how to fish, gliding through still waters in a canoe, taking a cool dip on a hot summer day, and simply observing the changes of our magnificent Michigan seasons.
I hope you made some good memories in the parks this year, too, and I thank you for all you do to preserve, support and enjoy them.
May your holidays be happy. May you be in the company of those you love and those who love you. And may 2012 be your best year, yet!   
Share |
20

Walleye - Alive and Well and GROWING
By Amy McMillan

Walleye lovers, we heard you voice concerns that walleye in the Holloway Reservoir seemed to be declining, so we asked the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to wade in and take a look.
They conducted a survey one night this fall and gathered fish through a method called electrofishing, which stuns the fish before they are caught. While in their stunned state, the researchers could measure the walleye and even take scale samples from some of the juveniles to analyze them for age and growth. When done correctly, electrofishing results in no permanent harm to fish, and they can be released back into the water within a few minutes of being stunned.
A total of 158 walleye were collected along a two-mile stretch of the Reservoir in less than an hour-and-a-half. Young-of-the-year or YOY walleye accounted for 82% of the catch. Another 44 walleye were spotted but not caught. See, even the pros have stories about the ones that got away!
Here’s how the fish measured up;
-          24 met or exceeded the minimum harvest size of 15 inches
-          1 was longer than 19 inches
-          Age and growth analysis indicated that the walleye were growing at a rate higher than the state average.
Holloway anglers also expressed a perception that there has been a significant decline in the number of larger walleye, and historical data does indicate that the Reservoir has always had a greater number of smaller, younger fish. The DNR believes that older fish are less abundant because they are subject to high mortality as a result of both natural causes and the number of big fish being taken by anglers.
While a few anglers suggested changing slot and creel limits, doing that would reduce the number of fish each angler could take with no guarantee that it would increase the number of bigger fish.  
The DNR Fisheries Division concluded that the walleye are in good shape in the Holloway Reservoir, and that mid-summer fishing in 2012 should be very good. Plus, there’s a little fish called a gizzard shad that is reappearing in high numbers in the Reservoir. It makes a tasty meal for walleye, which may result in a greater number of larger walleye in coming years.
And speaking of tasty walleye, fishermen and women who participated in the 2011 Catfish Derby in the Holloway Reservoir harvested more than 100 lbs. of those pesky walleye-eating catfish.
We’ve posted the whole survey on our website, so if you’re interested in all the data, click here.  
Share |
8

Ladies Night Out
By Amy McMillan

 

Crossroads Village has been undergoing a transformation for the past couple weeks. Gone are the straw maze and the ghosts and goodies that delight kids of all ages during our month-long celebration of Halloween. The witch hats and tree eyes and boiling cauldrons have been put away for another year.

On November 14, the Village will open its gates from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. for Ladies Night Out, and I may be a little partial, but I think this is one of the best events of the entire holiday season!

For starters, there’s the Village itself, which will look absolutely magical with thousands of twinkling lights and even a live reindeer holding court. The stores will be stocked to the ceiling with an amazing selection of merchandise, and the Mill Street Warehouse will host vendors selling everything from hand-made wreathes and holiday décor to natural soaps, jewelry and chocolates.

Try your hand at a make-it-and-take-it craft. Tour the historic homes and indulge in free tasty treats. Take a spin on the 100-year-old carousel. Meet author Susan Newhof and pick up a copy of her new novel Spirits & Wine for the readers on your gift list.

Shop. Eat. Play. Laugh. Get it? Big fun!

Admission is just $5. What? That’s right. $5. And if you have a current annual pass to the Village, your tickets are free, but you must reserve them in advance by calling the Genesee County Parks office at 810-736-7100, ext. 6 or 800-648-PARK (7275), ext 6.  

So gather your moms, daughters, aunts, grandmas and girlfriends, and bring your gift list so you can get a jump on your holiday shopping. You can even get a free photo taken of your group with the reindeer or train conductor Handsome Harry as a memento of the evening.

Hey, guys, you want to be heroes? Offer to watch the kids!

You can order tickets from this website, or just show up at the gate. It all happens Monday night, November 14. I’m counting the days!!!
Share |
6

In Case You Think Halloween Is Just For Kids
By Amy McMillan

 
Round up some costumes, pack up your family and friends, and head to Crossroads Village, which has been magically turned into a happy and silly-spooky town for the whole month of October!
  
Seriously...this place is loaded with fun, and it’s the old-fashioned kind with friendly ghosts and trees that have eyes and a live magic show in our beautiful Colwell Opera House above the General Store.

Kids especially love finding their way through our big straw maze, and there’s plenty of candy and doughnuts for everyone. Even grownups!

Tickets are $10 for each person older than 12 months. For $3 each, you can add a ride on the Genesee Belle or the famous Huckleberry Ghost Train Express.

For complete information about hours and tickets click here to link to our website.

Have a happy old-fashioned Halloween!
Share |
29

Ladies and Gentlemen START YOUR ENGINES!!!
By Amy McMillan

 

The third and final phase of the Mounds Off Road Vehicle Area is OPEN and ORV folks tell us they love it! It’s big. It’s rocky. Sometimes it’s wonderfully muddy. And it’s a challenge. A really big challenge!
 
One of the cool things about this place is that it’s a quick drive from anywhere in Genesee County. Lucky you, Genesee County residents. You have one of the Midwest’s best ORV areas practically in your backyard.
 
You probably don’t need a reason to go to the Mounds, beyond wanting to experience the pure thrill of it, but in case anybody asks why you like climbing rocks and tilting your vehicle at hair-raising angles (I have a friend whose car had an inclinometer, which she referred to as a tip-o-meter) consider quoting to them from the latest research:
 
Studies show that “…taking a stroll through a natural setting can boost performance on tasks calling for sustained focus. Taking in the sights and sounds of nature appears to be especially beneficial for our minds. In fact, Dr. Marc Berman and fellow researchers at the University of Michigan found that performance on memory and attention tests improved by 20 percent after study subjects paused for a walk through an arboretum.”
 
Well….ok, going to the Mounds isn’t exactly like taking a walk through an arboretum, but if a simple nature walk is going to help your level of focus, imagine how focused you’ll be after an hour of ear-splitting, bone-jarring off road fun!
 
Here’s another cool thing about the Mounds. All three phases of its development were paid for by grants from Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources. Thank you DNR.
 
The Mounds is, in fact, so cool, it has its own Facebook page, and you can link to it from the Genesee County Parks website.
 
The Mounds is located at 6145 E. Mt. Morris Road, one and a half miles east of Genesee Road in Mt. Morris. It’s open year round, Monday through Saturday, from 8 a.m. until sunset and Sundays from noon until sunset.
 
Residents pay just $8 a day or $35 for a seasonal pass per vehicle. You’ll also need a State of Michigan ORV sticker.
 
Leave the alcohol at home. This place offers an unbeatable high all by itself.
 
 
Share |
27

Transitions
By Amy McMillan

 
Much as I love a busy summer, it’s a welcome change to ease into the more relaxed pace of autumn and to enjoy the parks in a different way. Fall is such a special time of year, and I hope you will join us at For-Mar Nature Preserve and Arboretum on October 8 to celebrate the season at our annual Fall Harvest Festival.

We’re describing this as the “greenest harvest festival ever!” Besides all the traditional events such as cider making, hay rides and lawn games plus popcorn and donuts to munch, we’ve added several activities and displays that demonstrate “green” technology and stewardship of the environment.

It all happens between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. It’s free, and there’s plenty for everyone to enjoy.  Here’s a taste of what you’ll find:
  • Explore a Chevy Volt, the most talked-about electric car, courtesy of Hank Graff Chevrolet in Davison
  • Take part in gardening and environmental projects
  • Do a make-it-and-take-it craft project using recycled materials
  • Participate in a recycle event. Bring something you don’t need and see if someone else brings something you do need!
  • Enjoy live music
  • Join in reuse, recycle and repurpose games and activities for the whole family
Those who ordered trees from the Conservation District can pick them up at For-Mar that day.

Admission to For-Mar and all the activities are free, so come out, learn how you can make your life greener, and enjoy this bountiful harvest season!
 
Share |
25

In case you were wondering about hunting in the Parks
By Amy McMillan

With few predators and few areas in the county where deer can be hunted, Genesee County deer populations increase quickly, and the results can be pretty sad. Many starve or become sick from overcrowding. Car-deer crashes increase. Farmers sustain heavy crop losses.
 
To help address the problem, the Parks Commission is permitting a controlled bow hunting of deer at the Cummings Center again this year. For eight days in October, 80 hunters, selected by lottery this past week, will have the opportunity to hunt in the park. Each hunter had to demonstrate proficiency to be entered into the lottery.

Those eight days of hunting keep the number of deer in check in that region and preserve the delicate balance of flora and fauna. And it’s a bonus for hunters to be able to bow hunt locally, given that there is no state land available to hunt on in Genesee County.

We often juggle multiple uses of our County Parks, and that will be the case at the Cummings Center in October. The park is usually open seven days a week, but on four Mondays, October 3, 10, 17 and 24; and four Tuesdays, October 4, 11, 18 and 25, it will be open only to the lottery-selected hunters. All state hunting regulations apply.

Hunting for waterfowl is also permitted in specific areas in the County Parks. The season parallels that set by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, and there is no lottery, but there are rules for each area regarding things such as the use of blinds and permanent structures.

The best way to know what you need to know is to request our handout on Genesee County Parks and Recreation Commissions 2011-12 Waterfowl Hunting Location Rules and Regulations. It will keep you honest.
Share |
24

Join us for Silly Saturday at Bluebell Beach
By Amy McMillan

(or...when was the last time you deliberately put whipped cream in your hair?)
 
Are you ready to spend one hour being very silly? Grownups, I'm talking to YOU!
 
Round up your kids and your friends and head to the bathhouse at Bluebell Beach this Saturday, August 27 at 1:00 p.m. and have fun with food! Spend an hour making whipped cream hairdos, tossing around pudding and other fun stuff. Prepare to get sticky, messy and definitely gooey, then wash it all off in the splash pad.
 
Wear your bathing suit or old clothes, because getting messy is the whole idea here. And this event is for all ages – even grownups, who never get to do this kind of amazingly good fun anymore!
 
By 2 p.m. you’ll be clean and cooled down in the refreshing waters of Mott Lake. And I’m guessing you will have laughed more in one hour than you have all week. How can you pass up that!
 
This event is free for everyone. Pre-registration is not necessary. All you need to bring is your beach towel and anyone who wants to have a lot of fun!
Share |