Neff zone Column

Print Edition: May 5, 2007

CADILLAC AMONG THE TOP 101

With all the coverage of depressing news these days, it’s nice to be able to report some wonderful, uplifting news for a change. To wit, Cadillac has been designated as one of the top "unspoiled places to visit, live and play" in the United States.

A new book, "101 Best Outdoor Towns" by Sarah Tuff and Greg Melville, rated towns based on census data and their own outdoor experiences, plus whether the towns were relatively undiscovered. In a review, Countryman Press says the authors "identify places that have fresh vitality…where you can play all day in a gorgeous setting."

The book includes information about each town’s history, lodging and dining, and how livable and affordable it is as a place to visit or stay. About Cadillac, the authors observe: "In summer, people who don’t bring a bike with them almost invariably come with a fishing rod in hand." They rave about Cadillac’s hiking, fishing and cycling opportunities.

Well, awwwright! Bravo for all of us! Kudos all around! Way to go, Cadillac! As a person who enjoys what Cadillac has to offer as a recreation haven, I think this is a marvelous bit of news. Often, a downstate friend will ask me if I’m going anywhere on vacation. My standard reply is, "Why would I go anywhere, I already live where everyone else want to vacation." Now I can add that I live in one of the top 101 outdoor towns in the country. Pretty cool!

I’d like to observe that Cadillac is in prime position to "run with this football." Improvements are already in place or soon will be to make the city even more attractive to tourists (and local recreationists). The bridge over the Clam on the McKellop Walkway will soon be in place. The completion of the walkway along the Clam between Haines and Lake Streets is in the works. The Johnson Hunting and Fishing Museum will have its improvements ready for this summer, and the fishing pier at Mitchell State Park is ready for its second summer. With gas prices heading toward the $4 mark, Cadillac is poised to offer its "unspoiled" allure to cost conscious tourists.

Now, with all of that said, I’d like to make some suggestions to make Cadillac even more recreation friendly. This has sort of become a rite of spring for this column, so some of my ideas may sound familiar. This time around, I’d like to focus on just one segment – bike riding around Lake Cadillac. Thousands cycle Lake Cadillac’s shores each summer and it’s hugely popular.

First of all, I’d like to see a bike path through the Lakeside Park from the Senior Center (Naval Reserve) to the Library. We need to get cyclists, particularly families with children, off busy Chestnut Street. With two parking lots, a boat launch, a skateboard park, the Junior High, and the new condos at Lake and Pine, there’s just too much traffic for cyclists to deal with. It’s a dangerous situation; a designated bike path, off the roadway, would solve the problem.

It might also be a good idea to change the routing of the official bike path off busy streets to more sedate ones when possible. For example, route cyclists off Chestnut Street (North Blvd.) between Leeson and Linden and onto Sunset (where they could mesh onto the new path I propose building at the east end of Sunset behind the Senior Center).

Along with the new section of path, I’d like to see the parking for the Skate Park moved to the same side of the street as the park itself. This would eliminate skateboarders darting back and forth across Chestnut Street, plus it would open up more parking in the current lot for users of the lake.

On the other side of the lake, the south side, I’d like to see Sunnyside’s speed limit reduced to 25 mph. With all the bike/walk/run/skate usage on the "bike path" (i.e. road shoulder) having cars go 45 mph is ridiculous. That section is no longer M-55 and it’s residential.

I’d also like to see sign boards with information about downtown Cadillac at strategic points on the bike path around Lake Cadillac – in City Park, in Kenwood Park, on the White Pine Trail, near Mitchell State Park. I know these are needed because as I walk around the lake each day I’m continually stopped by tourists asking questions about where to find restaurants, stores, and other types of businesses. These information boards might have a diagram of downtown with the various businesses labeled. They could be titled "Visit Downtown Cadillac." A larger bicycle parking area between City Park and downtown might also be a good addition.

Finally, I’d like to see some rest stops at key spots along the bike path. You know, not everyone is in continuous motion; some people might enjoy a break to just sit and look at the scenery. A park bench here and there, thrash bins and dog-waste stations would be welcome additions. I’ll bet those who fish along the M-115 causeway north of Sunnyside would also enjoy some benches on that stretch.

Enough said. Even if what I’ve suggested is just so much hot air, the bottom line is that we live in a place that is a destination for most, but just plain home to us. I don’t know about you, but when I go someplace else I’m always happy to return to Cadillac. We’re the tops, and now we have a book to prove it.

Jim Neff is a local columnist. Comments to neffzone@gmail.com. Read neff Zone columns online at www.neffzone.com/cadillacnews.