CANNON TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Kent County's only remaining winter ski hill may soon have a new neighbor.
The Kent County Board of Commissioners signed off on a funding plan for a possible purchase of 160 acres surrounding Cannonsburg Ski Area. The proposal was on the March 23 agenda and calls for $3.2 million to buy the property.
The resolution calls for the Kent County Parks Department to apply for a grant through the Michigan Natural Resource Trust Fund of $2.24 million. The remaining cost of the purchase, estimated at $960,000 would come from a combination of donations and taxpayer funds.
The plan is the latest ina year-long debate on whether the county government should take over Cannonsburg.
According to comments made by Commissioner Katie DeBoer during the vote, the County Board of Commissioners is no longer pursuing a purchase of Cannonsburg Ski Area. If the county does buy the surrounding area, DeBoer says it would ensure the green space remains accessible for nearby residents.
According to documents provided by the Kent County Board of Commissioners in 2022, Cannon Township saw a 10% growth in population over a ten-year period beginning in 2012. Some County Commissioners say the area needs more green space areas to keep up with demand.
During discussions a year ago, it was estimated $10 million would be needed to buy the 272-acre ski area, but an appraisal from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources could push the cost higher. In May 2022 the county applied for a $7.5 million grant with the Michigan Natural Resource Trust Fund. That application was not among the list of approved projects announced later that year.
The move rankled relations with the ski area, which posted to social media to say there was no purchase agreement.
Kent County Administrator Al Vanderberg later told FOX 17 it was just the first step in what would be a multi-year process.
Once the Parks Department applies for the grant, it will have to wait until December when the Michigan Natural Resource Trust Fund reveals what projects will receive money.
Kent County Cannonsburg Purchase by WXMI on Scribd
