Belleville DDA sends canoe/kayak rental project to city council

The Belleville Downtown Development Authority sent to city council a proposal for a canoe/kayak rental business in Horizon Park, which would include a shed for the boats and equipment right next to the Veterans’ Memorial.
The vote was 4-1, with Mayor Kerreen Conley voting no, saying she felt a lot of details had to be flushed out first.
One of the proposals was to put vinyl banners on the bridge to let the public know “we’re on the lake,” said John Blevins of Motor City Canoe Rental who gave the presentation about what they wanted to do.
“We have not allowed banners on the bridge,” said Mayor Conley, and City Manager Diana Kollmeyer said, “That’s Wayne County’s bridge.”
Mayor Conley said special events have been the only thing advertised briefly on the bridge. She said this would open a door to others.
“If you put it up, Wayne County could take it down,” Kollmeyer said.
“I would not be in favor of it,” Mayor Conley said.
In explaining the project, DDA Coordinator Carol Thompson said Blevins met with her, DPW Director Keith Tackett and Building Official Rick Rutherford to discuss the details.
“The lake is very busy on weekends,” she said. “How paddling and power boats would work together … This is a try-it-out approach.”
“Is Belleville ready to try it out?” she asked.
Blevins said last summer he did the Soup Project where canoes were rented for a day on the lake. He said they talked about doing rentals in Belleville.
He said the plan is to bring 12 rentals: 6 canoes, 4 kayaks and 2 paddleboards – to Horizon Park in 2016. Rentals would be on an hourly basis, at $10 per hour with a minimum of two hours.
Motor City would hire staff to man the rental kiosk and maintain operations. They would open for business in May for weekends only, until school ends, then open 7 days. Hours of operation would be noon to 6 to 8 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends.
It would be a seasonal business, about May to September.
Blevins suggested they would need a shed with racks to store the rental boats and equipment in Horizon Park. Boats would be chain locked to the rack overnight.
The rentals would be a public/private partnership between the city of Belleville and Motor City Canoe Rental. The city would get 10% of gross sales if the city provided the temporary rack and shed. If Motor City provides the rack and shed, the city would get 5%.
Thompson said there’s a ballpark figure of $3,500 to $4,000 for the shed using really good material to make it look good.
“We will focus on maintaining the aesthetics of the park,” Blevins said.
The building could be permanent or moved in the fall, Blevins said, noting it would be made mostly of lumber.
“I would think the council would go along with this,” said Councilman Tom Fielder from the audience. “Could people be rescued?” he asked.
Blevins said they have rescue equipment and could bring it from Flat Rock, which is a hop, skip, and a jump away.
Kollmeyer pointed out that the mayor has a furrowed brow, which means she had questions.
Mayor Conley said, “I think we need more details.”
The item is expected to be on an upcoming city council agenda.
In other business at the 33-minute meeting, the DDA:
• Reelected for 2016 Rosemary Loria as chairperson, Jim Higgerson as secretary and Sabrina Richardson-Williams as treasurer; and elected Denise Baker as vice chairperson;
• Set meeting time for the year as 6 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month;
• Heard Randy Brown of the Chamber of Commerce give a report on last December’s Winter Fest, which drew 10,000 to 15,000 people, he said, adding sponsors were the DDA, US Ecology, BYC, and the city;
• Approved revisions to the 2015-16 budget, with revenue going from $914,225 to $954,694 because of an increase in captured property taxes;
• Approved accounts payable of $10,919.54 for December, January, and part of February; and
• Learned this year’s Belleville High School Soup Project will be at 5:30 p.m. March 3 at the BHS Commons to select one or more projects to be done downtown this summer.
Five DDA members were present at the meeting, with Brian Copsey and Alicia McGovern absent and excused and two vacant seats.