The Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan awarded Isabella County Parks $26,500 during their Fall 2024 2 percent distribution ceremony on Friday, November 22, 2024. The funds will go toward replacing old, in-ground fire pit rings at Herrick Recreation Area and Deerfield Nature Park with safer, insulated, above-ground fire pit rings.
The existing in-ground rings at these parks are a major safety hazard, specifically for campers, and a liability for the parks. The nature of the existing rings, being flush to the ground, increases the risk of visitors, children and pets falling in or stepping in the fire pit, potentially getting burned, sustaining other bodily injury, or worse. In addition, the existing rings are not ADA accessible, the edges can get sharp, bent and dented, and campers backing RVs or trailers into sites at Herrick often cannot see them and drive over the fire pit, especially when leaves or pine needles are down. This can result in other injury, or damage to the fire pit ring, camping equipment, or both.
The new, insulated, above-ground fire pit rings are the same used by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources in all of the Michigan State Parks. Each ring is actually made up of two rings, with concrete poured in between. This keeps the outside of the ring cool, preventing burns from accidental touches. They are also ADA compliant as the fire building surface is at least 9 inches above the ground, per ADA guidelines.
In addition to safety and ADA compliance, the above-ground fire pit rings also benefit the environment in that they lower the risk of wildfires when compared to the in-ground fire pit rings, which can more easily (and dangerously) allow campsite debris to catch fire and spread to nearby vegetation. General park aesthetics will also be improved with the purchase of these new rings. They are more durable and will last much longer than the in-ground rings, and campers attempting to back their camping equipment in to campsites at Herrick will be able to easily see the location of the fire pit.
The new fire pit rings will be delivered yet this Winter, and installation is expected to first take place at Herrick Recreation Area Winter 2024 – Spring 2025. Next will be installation at Deerfield Nature Park, estimated Spring – Summer 2025, with an approximate project completion timeframe of Fall 2025.
Because Coldwater Lake Family Park‘s fire pit rings were already replaced in 2020, this project will complete the transition of all Isabella County Parks fire pit rings from in-ground to above-ground. We are looking forward to making this important safety improvement to our parks. Isabella County Parks would once again like to extent their thanks to the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribal Council!
