PARK TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Park Township has officially closed on the former U.S. Coast Guard station at 2280 Ottawa Beach Road, finalizing plans to transform the waterfront facility into a marine station for its fire department.
The deed was recorded February 25 with Ottawa County, making the building township property. "It is ours," Park Township Fire Chief Scott Gamby said. "Now we can get into the building and start the cleaning and reorganizing process to make it operational."
The $1.4 million purchase follows months of planning and a request for $600,000 in state earmark funding, sponsored by State Rep. Nancy DeBoer (R-Holland), to cover part of the cost.
WATCH: Why Park Township wanted to buy former Coast Guard building
Once operational, the station will house the Ottawa County Marine Division, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources patrol, and the Park Township Fire Department's new Water Safety Division. The facility will also be used for free boater and water safety classes for neighbors.
Park Township manager Howard Fink says the location along Lake Macatawa will help build a new culture around water safety. "We have a duty to try and provide a higher level of safety, particularly because we have so much waterfront within Park Township," Fink said. "If you asked fifty kids what to do in the case of a fire, almost every single child would know: stop drop and roll. What do you do in the case of a drowning situation? We want that response to be just as quick."
The fire department patrols most of Lake Macatawa's shoreline and six miles of Lake Michigan beaches — and in 2024 alone, crews responded to 19 water rescues. Fire Chief Scott Gamy says having a marine station right on the water will cut response times by four to seven minutes. "Time is the essence," Gamby said. "That time saved could absolutely save lives."
Last summer, the fire department used personal watercraft to rescue swimmers in distress on Lake Macatawa, in the channel, and on Lake Michigan. The new waterfront base will allow rescue boats and crews to launch directly from the station’s dock.
Park Township plans to host a ribbon-cutting and public open house in April. Neighbors will be able to tour the updated facility and meet the teams keeping the water safe.
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