I had a real nice PDF of area events emailed to me today. Click on the thumbnail below to view and print the PDF!

Many guests to Rosewood Pointe enjoy kayaking in Lake Macatawa and on a calm day, heading out into Lake Michigan to paddle near the shore.   However, for those of us, who enjoy a more leisurely kayak, I would suggest visiting Hemlock Crossing in Port Sheldon Township.

Hemlock Crossing / Pine Bend

Hemlock Crossing opened in 2003 and offers 239 acres of woods and wetlands along the Pigeon River. Over 6 miles of trails for hiking and cross country skiing meander through bottomland and upland forest, old pine plantations and along the river. A pedestrian bridge and numerous overlooks offer scenic views of the river corridor, wetlands, natural springs and woods. Facilities include two small picnic shelters, a kayak/canoe launch and over a mile of paved trail.

Pine Bend is a secondary access on the west end of the property that offers parking and a trail head. Pine Bend is also the site of the Weaver House, a restored 1901 home that is available for reservation for business meetings, family outings and other activities. There are no entry fees at Hemlock Crossing or Pine Bend and both are open year ‘round.

Facilities

• Kayak/canoe launch
• Unique pedestrian bridge
• Many scenic overlooks along the trails
• Two small picnic shelters with tables and grills
• Weaver House (reservable)
• Historic interpretation at Pine Bend
• Modern restrooms open warm months at Hemlock Crossing. Pit toilets available year ’round at Hemlock Crossing and Pine Bend
• Hiking and ungroomed cross country ski trails

* Barrier free facilities include picnic shelters, restrooms, kayak launch and a one mile paved trail through woods and fields.

Park Hours

Hemlock Crossing and Pine Bend are open year ’round at the following times.

April 1 through October 31 – 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

November 1 through March 31 – 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Fees

There are no entry fees.

Directions

Hemlock Crossing is located in Port Sheldon Township just west of US 31 on West Olive Road.

If traveling northbound on US 31 from Holland, follow signs from Port Sheldon Street.

If traveling southbound on US 31 from Grand Haven, follow signs from West Olive Road.

Pine Bend can be reached by traveling west on Croswell Street from US 31 to 156th Avenue. Turn south on 156th Avenue and follow the signs to the Pine Bend entrance.

View Larger Map

Well the summer is over and fall is almost upon us! We had a great summer over here at Rosewood Pointe though! New docks, improvements to the facilities and grounds and most importantly, lots of happy families and children!

The summer of 2007 is shaping up to be our best ever as bookings are far ahead of the previous years. Please make sure to book early if you are considering returning to Rosewood next summer!

thanks!

Brent and Jennifer Kleinheksel

Rosewood is looking better then ever! We have finally got our new dock in the water and finished. It’s a beautiful dock (as far as docks go).

We also purchased many flowers last week

If you are still looking for a place to book your summer vacation, you need look no further. Visit the link below to see all of our summer availability.

http://www.rosewoodpointe.com/2006_summer_availability.htm

So close, but yet so far.

About 150 feet from its connection point, a water main that would have connected the south side of Holland to the Holland Board of Public Works’ water-treatment plant on Lakeshore Drive got stuck.

The pipe is now stuck in its drill hole under Lake Macatawa and construction crews won’t even try to move it from its position near the north end of Graafschap Road for months. The $1.7 million project, handled by Mears Group Inc., was expected to be completed before winter began, but a series of snags in the installation now means the work won’t be completed until the ground and the lake warm up.

Originally slated for an Oct. 1 completion, the project accrued considerable added expenses, but BPW spokeswoman Andree Keneau said the city has not received a bill from Mears that would indicate what those added expenses will be.

In November, BPW General Manager Tim Morawski said the 3,200-foot pipe had been snaked from the north side of the lake before getting stuck 40 feet below ground and 80 feet from the surface of the water on Nov. 11.

But the problems had begun earlier, when drilling for the project began Sept. 19, about a week later than planned, BPW officials said. John Van Uffelen, director of water and wastewater services for the city utility, said a drill hole collapse about three weeks into the project further complicated the process.

Shaking from the construction led a group of property owners to file a $650,000 claim with the city of Holland in early December. The claim alleges that the construction methods used by the Rosebush-based Mears Group caused surface and structural damage to a home at 681 South Shore Drive, next to one of the project’s construction sites.

Another claim was filed in November by Peter and Jill Roades that alleged damage to their home from vibrations in the ground, caused by the contractor’s equipment.

The claims are currently being processed through Mears’ insurers, as well as a third, smaller claim, Keneau said.

When the construction will continue is still unclear. Keneau said the BPW has not received a work plan from Mears to outline how to resolve the issues and get the line functional.