New local group to apply for acquisition of Grand Haven's lighthouses

Sat, Oct 31, 2009    to del.icio.us

The Grand Haven Lighthouse Conservancy is inching closer to ensuring two iconic symbols of Grand Haven light the way for mariners, residents and tourists for years to come.

Click to enlarge
The local group is currently waiting on the Grand Haven City Council to authorize the submission of an application to the U.S. National Park Service that would seek the transfer of ownership of the south pier entrance and inner lighthouses to the conservancy.

"I think the conservancy is well-positioned to assume a leadership role and provide very effective stewardship," City Manager Pat McGinnis said.

The conservancy was formed after City Council rejected an idea that would have let the lighthouses become property of the city. While city officials understood the importance of the structures to the community, they didn't have the resources to maintain them in addition to performing other city tasks, McGinnis said.

The City Council, he said, told city management in the summer to make sure the lighthouses are preserved and they stay in good hands, while avoiding costs to the city. This was when the conservancy was formed, and work began on an application and report for the acquisition.

The application and report being submitted to the U.S. National Park Service features preservation and maintenance plans; as well as finance, management and use plans for the lighthouses.

According to the report, both lighthouses are in fair condition; however, improvements to the structures will need to be made. These costs are estimated to be about $291,000.

"Right now, (the lighthouses) are deteriorating from the inside," Grand Haven Lighthouse Conservancy President David Karpin said.

Based on a preliminary rehabilitation plan, the lighthouses would be worked on over several years, and work would range from repainting them to reinforcing portions of the structures.

There are also plans in place to keep the lighthouses as a popular attraction for residents and visitors, as well as make them an educational experience for students.

With this plan in place, those involved are confident about the preservation of Grand Haven's lighthouses.

"I've got great peace of mind that this is on the right track and it's not going to soak the local taxpayers," McGinnis said.

Karpin also expressed confidence in what had been done — especially after talking with others involved in similar projects.

"We are on the right track," he said.

The federally owned lighthouses were made available through the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000. This act, an extension of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, was designed to transfer federal lighthouses to private owners.

"The lighthouses themselves were seen by the federal government as superfluous," McGinnis said.

Prior to the Grand Haven Lighthouse Conservancy's involvement, there was talk of the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals acquiring the lighthouses. PETA had intentions of converting the lighthouses into a fish empathy center, but the group withdrew its intent in late August.

The application deadline for the conservancy's acquisition is Nov. 30, and City Council is expected to take action on the application during its meeting this coming Monday night.