‘Gateway to Lake Orion’

I’m writing to agree with Cory Johnston, quoted in your March 1 issue, on the lumberyard redevelopment.
Frankly I’m relieved to hear anyone stating what to me seems obvious.
The overwhelming impression given by the new historical placards around the village is that Lake Orion is the town it is not because of parking lots and strip malls, but rather people’s desire for an “Up North” feeling near the city: specifically, access to nature.
That’s still what sets us apart: our township parks, access to the Metroparks system and Bald Mountain combined make us unique in the Detroit metro in terms of beautiful, restorative nature on our doorstep. It’s why I moved here: I wanted to be able to walk to the woods.
What makes living here a vacation? Not strip malls and parking lots.
The lumberyard property has some of the last natural wildlife habitat within Lake Orion village. The developers are right to call it the gateway to Lake Orion. It’s the first thing people see as they’re looking for the turnoff onto Broadway Street from M-24 to the businesses thriving downtown.
My dream for the lumberyard property would be as follows: Bulldoze the crumbling buildings and pavement. Get rid of the rotting lumber and machinery. I’ve heard a lot of illegal dumping took place on that property decades ago; I’d want experts to remediate whatever toxic chemicals are present. And I’d like experts to restore that land to natural, native Michigan wildlife habitat, like what’s been done at Bear Creek Nature Park in Oakland Twp.
What I want to see when I’m driving home isn’t more parking lots. It’s trees. Wildflowers. Bees, butterflies, songbirds. A piece of nature that makes our township special.
That’s a “Gateway to Lake Orion” I could be proud of.
Michael DeLuca
Lake Orion

One response to “‘Gateway to Lake Orion’”

  1. @Michael, happy to have someone that has/had a dream of Yesteryear in the Quint VILLAGE of ORION, IT’S GONE, you are 50-60yrs late, all new values (MONEY.MONEY, MONEY) BIG MONEY is BACK in town to do it their way in 5yrs +/- the downtown will be GHOSTING into dust, the lake will be condos, office space, 90foot high rise will blot the lake, and the Village will still be a SPEED BUMP for the TRAFFIC FLOW as I have posed be for, the only reason to STOP in the Village is and will still be the traffic control lights at Flint and M24, Atwater and M24, and Flint and Broadway. Plus the new Round – About at Orion.and Conklin, and Stoney Creek rd. to releave back ups and move traffic THRU the Village, and WHERE does that move the TRAFFIC backup??? think about it, take your time, YOU GOT IT? FLINT & BROADWAY, and FLINT and M24

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