City selects consulting firm for second phase of marina upgrades

The city of Grand Haven has selected a professional consultant firm to work on plans for upgrades to the floating docks at the Municipal Marina. City officials recently approved the services of Benton Harbor-based Abonmarche at a cost of $76,000 to help design the reconstruction of the marina.

Alex Doty

Grand Haven

Apr 21, 2011

Grand Haven Special Project Manager Julie Beaton said the project will upgrade the floating docks that were installed in 2005. These docks were designed with longer gangways so they could be floated past the rip-rap — and, as a result, the slips are shorter than the original slips.

“They rise and fall with the water — so, for smaller boats, it’s easier to go from the dock to the boat,” Beaton said of the floating docks.

The problem now is that, with lower water levels, the floating docks bang against the rip-rap, damaging them. The docks are also shorter, meaning boats that used them prior to the 2005 renovation aren’t able to use them at this time.

This problem is evident during the Coast Guard Festival boat slip lottery, when some boaters have to be turned away from an awarded slip.

To read more of this story, see today’s print edition of the Grand Haven Tribune.