A crowdfunding campaign has been launched by the village of Stevensville to help pay for the construction of a pavilion and restrooms at Hickory Creek Park.

Stevensville Village Manager Kacey Dominguez tells us a state grant of $150,000 was awarded to the village for the project back in 2021, but due to increased construction costs, it still hasn’t started. Since 2021, the village has been awarded additional grants by the Frederick S. Upton Foundation and American Electric Power, and now the state’s Public Spaces Community Places program is offering to match another $75,000 if it can be crowdfunded.

Dominguez says the pavilion would be a major improvement to the village’s largest park.

“The pavilion would be at Hickory Creek Park, which is the main park in the village of Stevensville,” Dominguez said. “It would include a covered pavilion with picnic tables, a kitchen area that can be rented out for events to the community, two ADA-approved restrooms, and then ADA parking spaces.”

Dominguez says Stevensville doesn’t currently have such a facility, and input received while drafting the latest parks master plan showed the public wants one.

“The largest feedback we got and what the community really wants in our park system is a formal community meeting place and then bathrooms at the park.”

If the $75,000 goal for the crowdfunding campaign can be reached, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation will match it, meaning another $150,000 raised. Dominguez says that would get them to the total $400,000 needed for the pavilion project.

Anyone can donate through December 9, and we have a link to do so at our website. You can find the campaign right here.

If the campaign is successful, construction on the pavilion could start in the spring.