# Muskegon R. - Fee station added at Thornapple Road access



## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

Fee station added at Thornapple Road access 

http://www.mlive.com/outdoors/grpress/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/118130915362250.xml&coll=6

06/08/07 By Howard Meyerson Press Outdoors Editor [email protected]

Anglers and paddlers familiar with the Muskegon River may be surprised this season to find a new DNR fee station at a popular put-in spot: the High Rollway, commonly known as the Thornapple Road access, in Newaygo County. 

"High Rollway gets so busy that we have people parking up and down the road," DNR Parks and Recreation analyst Jason Fleming said. "Vehicles were having difficulty getting to the ramp and there was no one there to direct traffic."

The Thornapple access is regularly used by commercial fishing guides, anglers, boaters and canoe liveries. It has been free to launch there until this year. 

Starting this summer, it will have have fee collection booth staffed by an attendant. There also will be a fee pipe for after-hours collection. Launch site users will be expected to pay whether the attendant is on site or not. 

"That's another change," Fleming said. "It used to be you didn't have to pay if you got there before staff arrived. If a fisherman went out at 4 a.m. and the staff came in at 8 a.m., the fisherman didn't pay. But now they will have to whether an attendant is in or not." 

High Rollway is one of six public launch sites around the state that was added this season to the DNR's list of 66 fee sites for boating access. 

The agency manages approximately 1,000 boating launches around the state. One hundred of those are located in state parks, where users pay a daily or annual fee to enter the park, but not to use the launch site. The rest are located on rivers and lakes all though the state, of which 66 now charge fees. 

"The Tippy Dam launch site has now been taken off that list and made a state park access site," said Flemming. 

Daily launch fees will be $6 or annual stickers are available for $24. The fees are similar to those charged for entry to any Michigan state park. 

Any fees collected at the 66 launch sites are returned to the state's waterways fund, which pays for public access sites and harbors all over the state. 

The other launch sites that will start charging fees this season are Torch River Bridge in Antrim County, Mullett Lake Village Access site in Cheboygan County, Torch River access in Kalkaska County, Houghton Lake east in Roscommon County and Quanicassee River access in Tuscola County.


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## Dutchman (Jan 17, 2000)

I for one, think it is about time.


About time


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

Can someone buy an annual pass at one place, and it will be good at all other spots as well?


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## homerdog (Nov 11, 2003)

Fishndude said:


> Can someone buy an annual pass at one place, and it will be good at all other spots as well?


yes, it is good at all these sites:

http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10365_10884-65805--,00.html


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

Muchas Gracias, Dawg.


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## thousandcasts (Jan 22, 2002)

I don't have a problem with this, but why would they take Tippy off the list? My God, between the parking fees and the snagging fines that should be a cash cow! 

I also noticed the Maple Island launch has been added as well.


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## homerdog (Nov 11, 2003)

thousandcasts said:


> I don't have a problem with this, but why would they take Tippy off the list? My God, between the parking fees and the snagging fines that should be a cash cow!
> 
> I also noticed the Maple Island launch has been added as well.


Because of the campground?


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## Steelhead Addict (Dec 16, 2004)

I'm cool with this...it would be more palatable if they made other improvements or kept them plowed during the winter. I'm confused why they haven't done the same for pine.


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## Dutchman (Jan 17, 2000)

Steelhead Addict said:


> I'm confused why they haven't done the same for pine.



I agree! If ya do one, yamight as well do them all.


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## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

Law Enforcement Division Bi-Weekly Field Report 07/02/07 - 07/15/07 DISTRICT 9

A new pay station at an access site on the Muskegon River in Newaygo County has upset many long time users. The summer workers manning the station have been verbally abused, had money thrown at them, and have had people refuse to pay. In one instance a subject drove in and used the site three times without paying. CO Ryan Rademacher and PCO Jeff Ginn were able to locate the subject and ticket him for failing to pay.


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## Westlakedrive (Feb 25, 2005)

This is sad. People want to play for free.
I wish they would charge to launch and Fremont Lake so they could fix the launch which is going down hill.


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## Kevin_D (Dec 3, 2005)

I talked with a CO in that area and said next year a pay pipe will be installed


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## Kevin_D (Dec 3, 2005)

Steelhead Addict said:


> I'm cool with this...it would be more palatable if they made other improvements or kept them plowed during the winter. I'm confused why they haven't done the same for pine.


Next year


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## Pork Chop (Jan 21, 2003)

My brother spoke to the guy manning th booth at Thornapple this weekend -

He also said that Thornapple was the test site and the State is thrilled with the results. All ramps including Croton, Pine and new Bridge will be pay sites next year. By the way, the road down to the access is being posted no parking (because most of it is private). The closet parking to the river will be along Thornapple road. Illegal parking along the road to the access or in the site is $85 and will be enforced by Newaygo Co sheriff and State Police. The guy said that the police department keep all the ticket revenue so they will be very active writing tickets


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## Beagle_Dan (Jun 17, 2006)

I don't understand why so many have posted here that they are "OK" with having to pay to use a boat ramp. First one boat ramp, then another, and soon every public boat launch will require a fee. Oh, $6 ain't bad you might say? Yeah, look at fishing & hunting license fees, and state park fees. Them access rates will go up along with everything else. I am sick & tired of having to shell out $6 here, and $24 there for every outdoor activity I enjoy. Also, if you enjoy canoeing for example, you get to purchase two stickers, one for the spotting vehicle and one for the pickup vehicle.

Mark my words, Bill's Lake, Brooks Lake, Big Whitefish and all of them will become "pay" lakes before long. So much for a "public" access.

Oh, heck, since this is "OK" with everyone, why not set up a pay booth at all the State Game Areas and Federal Land entrances too so we can all shell out more money to use "public" land.

-Beagle- :rant:


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## Emerald Shiner (Jul 5, 2007)

Beagle_Dan said:


> I don't understand why so many have posted here that they are "OK" with having to pay to use a boat ramp. First one boat ramp, then another, and soon every public boat launch will require a fee. Oh, $6 ain't bad you might say? Yeah, look at fishing & hunting license fees, and state park fees. Them access rates will go up along with everything else. I am sick & tired of having to shell out $6 here, and $24 there for every outdoor activity I enjoy. Also, if you enjoy canoeing for example, you get to purchase two stickers, one for the spotting vehicle and one for the pickup vehicle.
> 
> Mark my words, Bill's Lake, Brooks Lake, Big Whitefish and all of them will become "pay" lakes before long. So much for a "public" access.
> 
> ...


 
I agree with you 100% on this one DAN. I don't understand why some people support all these access site fees. They must have it in there belief that the sites will be maintained 365 days a year, and that it will deter others from paying the fees. WHO KNOWS. Again, most STATE ACCESS SITES are a part of the Parks & Recreation Division, which means SEASONAL. Let's take the new Thornapple pay site for example, do you really think the STATE is going to use all that money generated from just that ramp alone, to use towards maintaining the ramp year round? Or will Newaygo county be responsible by plowing the access clear of ice & snow on the ramp? Or will the state possibly hire a third party snow removal contractor to keep the ramp free of ice & snow? Of course all this generated revenue is intended to go towards the PUBLIC WATERWAY FUND, but I highly doubt the intent is to maintain these access sites year around, since it is part of the Parks & Recreation Division, which again is seasonal. 

Just FYI, I've been to some of the access sites that are managed by the STATE, on the Manistee River several times during the winter months, where your average joe fisherman ends up using there own snow removal equipment to keep the ramps clear of ice & snow. Did the state give them money? HELL NO. All these fees are starting to remind me of the ILLINOIS TOLL ROAD, a neverending fee for this or that. But, I agree, there probably will come a time when most of the popular public launches throughout the state will become a pay access site. But for those that support all these WATERWAY TOLL ROAD fees, don't come a bitching the next time you visit your favorite pay access site in the wintertime, to expect it free & clear of all the snow.


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## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

I'm not happy about the fees, but the complainers of higher fees are the same complainers that had their legislators gut the DNR license funding to destroy support for hunting and fishing, and the same legislators gutted the DEQ budgets to help pollute the rivers. You didn't want to pay for hunting fishing licenses and you wanted to support the polluters so go ahead and pay higher fees at the access sites.


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## STEINFISHSKI (Jan 30, 2001)

A new pay station at an access site on the Muskegon River in Newaygo County has upset many long time users. The summer workers manning the station have been verbally abused, had money thrown at them, and have had people refuse to pay. In one instance a subject drove in and used the site three times without paying. CO Ryan Rademacher and PCO Jeff Ginn were able to locate the subject and ticket him for failing to pay.


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## Emerald Shiner (Jul 5, 2007)

> I'm not happy about the fees, but the complainers of higher fees are the same complainers that had their legislators gut the DNR license funding to destroy support for hunting and fishing, and the same legislators gutted the DEQ budgets to help pollute the rivers. You didn't want to pay for hunting fishing licenses and you wanted to support the polluters so go ahead and pay higher fees at the access sites.


I try to avoid discussing issues that involve politics, but let's take a look back to around late 2004-2005 when a lot of the budget cuts started with the DNR etc.(Or even before that) We can start with the DNR TRUST FUND that the state "borrowed" from. Before I dare go into any discussion about any of this, I will concede myself from this particular issue. (Since it bothers me so, along with everyone else that I know.) Some of you can start "googling" the internet, and find out more about these issues. We can start with why a law was created in 2005, to protect this DNR TRUST FUND. But it is only obvious this law was created after the money was borrowed. It you look correctly, it will not take long before you find some answers. Does these added on fees make it sound like I'm complaining? Maybe, but then maybe not.


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## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

Dumpsters added at Muskegon River sites

http://www.mlive.com/outdoors/grpress/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/118735410842260.xml&coll=6

08/17/07 By Howard Meyerson Press Outdoors Editor [email protected]

Anglers and canoers will soon have a place to dump trash rather than on the ground at two popular Muskegon River access sites. 

High Rollway, commonly called Thornapple Landing, and the Pine St. access, will each have commercial trash dumpsters, thanks to a project spearheaded by the Michigan River Guide's Association.

The angling group pushed to have trash service established and is helping to underwrite the cost along with private business and the DNR. 

"People come here from all over the country. It's a shame to have them come to a beautiful place and the first thing they see is garbage along a fence," MRGA member, Steve Kuieck said. 

Kuieck, of River Quest Charters, a fishing guide service on the Muskegon River, said he approached MRGA with the idea in a effort to have the organization do its part to return something to the resource. 

"One of Michigan's prized possessions is its river fishing," he said. 

Kuieck sweetened the deal by approaching two of his fishing clients who also agreed to help financially. 

Bill Haagsma, a commercial waste hauler, agreed to discount his trash pick-up service. The other, John Rudolph, agreed to have his Grand Rapids company, Action Fabricators, split the cost for the trash service. 

"We take our customers out there quite a bit and it was kind of a mess," Rudolph said. "As a company, we are also trying to do more to help the environment."

Trash service for the two sites is expected to cost $1,000 a year.That neither of the state-owned access sites has a trash dumpster is the result of a choice years ago by DNR officials to remove them -- and more recently due to budget constraints. 

"We haven't had them there in more than 10 years," DNR Parks and Recreation unit supervisor Ron Monroe said. "We used to have 55-gallon drums, but they seemed to be trash magnets. They were always overflowing. 

"When we removed the trash barrels the amount of trash left on site was drastically reduced."

DNR staffers typically pick up litter at each site once a week. There isn't money for daily visits, Monroe said. About 55 gallons of trash is collected at each weekly. 

One of the two dumpsters was recently delivered to the Thornapple site which offers parking for 125 vehicles. The site is full to capacity several times during the summer. 

The other will go in at the Pine St. access once rennovations are complete in mid-September. The DNR paving a large portion of the site and rerouting the traffic flow. 

Pine St site is one of two west Michigan boating access sites currently being rennovated. The other is the M-37 Bridge site in Lake County on the Pere Marquette River. That work is expected to be complete by Aug. 31. 

Monroe said he was hesitant to put a dumpster at Pine St. for fear that anglers would dump fish entrails in it. 

Should that happen, he said, it will have to go. 

But Kuieck said the neighbors are already used to living with outhouses. If fish smell becomes a problem, his group will find more money to increase the number of trash pick-ups each week.


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