Editor's note: This story is part of Southwest Michigan Second Wave's On the Ground Calhoun County series.
 
CALHOUN COUNTY, MI — The public will get its first look at a newly-renovated trailhead for Ott Biological Preserve during a ribbon-cutting at 1 p.m. on Friday, says Lucy Hough, Calhoun County’s Assistant Director for Community Development.

This ceremony marks the completion of improvements to Ott Biological Preserve, located at 1129 Olive Street, which include an improved parking lot, a bathroom facility with drinking fountains and a water-bottle fill station, multiple picnic benches, landscaping, and a 6-foot entrance path. In addition to the ribbon-cutting, Calhoun County Parks and Recreation, as well as other environmental and outdoors-focused partners, will be tabling and sharing information with the public between 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. 

New restrooms at Ott Biological PreserveThe most expensive components of the Ott upgrade were the bathroom facility and the parking lot. The DNR grant and a match from Calhoun County using Parks Millage dollars made that possible, Hough says. 

These improvements were paid for through Calhoun County Parks Millage funds in addition to a Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grant, according to a press release from the County’s Community Development arm.

“The development of Ott Biological Preserve has been a labor of love for the County Parks Department for years,” Hough says. “This grant allowed us to really establish a strong trailhead at this location, rather than just a dirt lot. Now, folks can find respite before or during exploring the Calhoun County Trail, North Country Trail (NCT), and other trails that pass through our County.” 

The Millage request was brought forward in 2020 after parks throughout Calhoun County experienced a dramatic increase in usage because of the COVID-19 pandemic. At that time, residents told On the Ground Battle Creek that these parks provided opportunities for them to stay safe and active.

New picnic tables at Ott Biological PreserveJen Bomba, Community Development Director for Calhoun County, said then, “This trend is likely to continue now that both residents and visitors from outside the county have had opportunities to spend time walking or hiking the paths and trails in these parks to stay active during the stay-at-home orders.” 

Hough says while the County doesn’t track the number of visitors to the parks, “We certainly felt that the approval of the millage in 2020, then renewed in 2024, was a good indication that local residents value the parks and want to see them maintained and improved over time.”

In addition to the 2024 millage renewal, she says that same year, Calhoun County saw four additional DNR (Department of Natural Resources) Trust Fund grants approved, two in the County Parks and two via municipalities, all possible because of match funds from the Parks Millage.

New water fountains at Ott Biological PreserveThe City of Battle Creek received $290,800 for the installation of a bathroom at Bailey Park at the Anybodies Playground, and the City of Springfield received a $257,500 grant for improvements to Springfield Schools Memorial Park.

At the County level, a $222,000 grant was received for improvements to what is known as the North Branch Boat Launch, which is on Custer Drive in Bedford Township, as well as $400,000 in future improvements at Historic Bridge Park.

“We have an impressive trailway in Calhoun County that connects the three parks in Emmett Township — Ott Biological Preserve, Kimball Pines, and Historic Bridge Park,” Hough says. “The wide gravel trail allows hikers and cyclists to explore our county outdoors, which was valuable during the pandemic.”

New parking lot at Ott Biological PreserveOtt Biological Preserve has specific trails for the NCT, which are more rugged than the trailway, with beautiful sights throughout, Hough says. She encourages visitors to check out both trails to see the vast scope of what Ott Biological Preserve offers.
Calhoun County, she says, “is lucky to have the North Country Trail traverse through our communities, which does bring people from outside the county and even the state to our community.”

While the focus on Friday will be on Ott Biological Preserve, the ongoing focus of the County’s Parks Department is to “maintain strong parks facilities for residents to enjoy, and that includes ensuring there are accommodations, such as the new bathroom and picnic tables at Ott, to make these visits convenient and enjoyable for everyone,” Hough says.

 “Those improvements continue with the grants we've received, as well as persistent maintenance efforts by our staff to keep the trail and parks cleared and accessible.”