Transforming Douglas Marina-From Grant Award to Community Investment
Community: City of the Village of Douglas
Population: Under 6,000
Project Description
The City of the Village of Douglas transformed an underutilized waterfront parcel into a vibrant public gathering space through the Douglas Marina Park & Pavilion Project. Completed in Summer 2026, the project enhances public access to the waterfront and creates a year-round destination for community events, recreation, and tourism-related activities. The new pavilion expands the City’s park rental inventory and provides a scenic venue for public and private gatherings.
The project was made possible through strategic public-private partnerships, including a $100,000 grant from the Consumers Energy Foundation and a $100,000 private donor match from local philanthropists Bud Baty and Max Matteson. This investment supports economic vitality by increasing tourism opportunities, visitor spending, and community use of the waterfront while preserving a valuable public asset for generations to come.
Is your project easy to replicate in other communities (clear in its impact and execution for other communities)?
Douglas leveraged a blend of grant funding, private donations, and municipal planning to transform an existing public asset. This model can easily be replicated by communities with waterfronts, parks, or underutilized public spaces seeking economic and social activation.
What is the Community Wealth Impact (based on one or more of the categories you selected) of your project?
This project creates economic opportunity through increased tourism, event rentals, and visitor spending while improving quality of life through enhanced recreational amenities and community gathering space.
Describe the creativity and originality of your project.
The Douglas Marina Park & Pavilion Project creatively combines placemaking, recreation, tourism, and economic development into one multi-use waterfront destination funded through a unique public-private partnership.
Project Multimedia
Site Preparation Begins Construction officially began in April 2026 as crews broke ground on the future Douglas Marina Park Pavilion, marking the next phase in transforming this waterfront property into a vibrant community gathering space.
Clearing the Way for the Future Following acquisition of the property, the City cleared existing structures and prepared the site for redevelopment, opening the door to new opportunities along the waterfront.
A New Identity on the Waterfront The Douglas Marina welcomes residents and visitors with updated signage as the City continues investing in this valued public asset.
