City continues to seek funding to construct
a new playground area at Mineral Spring Park

The City of Frankfort has a goal of constructing a new playground area at Mineral Springs Park. The previous playground equipment was removed in the spring of 2010 due to its age and condition.  It is a goal to have the playground completed by the July 1. 

A fundraising campaign spearheaded by Helen Erginkara, a fifth grade student at Frankfort Elementary School, was launched in August 2010.  The young Frankfort philanthropist has performed numerous fundraising endeavors over the past year and a half, generating through her leadership several thousand dollars toward the Mineral Springs Playground Project.  The City of Frankfort has procured $27,000.00 in grant funds from the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa & Chippewa Indians and Herbert H. & Barbara C. Dow Foundation with an additional $7,000.00 generated from the Friendly Frankfort Rotary Club, Willoughby Rotary Foundation and Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation.  There have been numerous other kind donations from the community, including the First Congregational Church and Trinity Lutheran Church of Frankfort contributing to a balance of $55,000.00 that has been raised to date.  The City has an additional grant request submitted with optimistic hopes of achieving success.  Award notification will be made on this grant by mid-February.  All of the donations and funds currently received and in the future will be recognized through a dedicated plaque or some other means at Mineral Springs Park that will remain in perpetuity.

In November, Josh Mills, City Superintendent, contacted Carter’s Kids.  Carter’s Kids is a non-profit organization created by American television personality Carter Oosterhouse.  Carter was born and raised in Traverse City and first gained national fame as a carpenter on the TLC series Trading Spaces and continues to host other home improvement and how-to television shows. 

Carter’s Kids is dedicated toward creating and promoting awareness of fitness and self-esteem for America’s youth.  The primary purpose is to increase the activity level of kids by building and developing community parks and playgrounds across the country. 

The Carter’s Kids Team does not provide funding but they do provide expertise in design, planning, developing and executing the playground of our dreams from start to finish. 

Within two hours of his initial contact with Carter’s Kids, they were committed to Frankfort and were excited to build a playground in a community that is close to Carter’s childhood home.  The initial response from Carter, through Executive Director Quay Chilcott, was “Yes, we love Frankfort and would welcome an opportunity to build a playground in Frankfort”. 

Carter’s Kids will design the playground and area surrounding the playground as phenomenal as our vision and budget will allow.  The coordination of the build will be facilitated by Carter’s Kids and will generate a significant amount of media exposure and vibrant energy within the community.  The media exposure will prove to be beneficial if corporate sponsorships are received toward the project.  For additional information on Carter’s Kids, please go to www.carters-kids.org. 

“Initially, the project goal for Phase I was $50,000.00.  We have reached that goal,” stated Mills.  Phase I consisted of one primary play structure, however riding on the vast amount of momentum already achieved and the opportunity through Carter’s Kids, the City has implemented a new project goal of $125,000.00. 

Other components of the project include 4 smaller accessory play structures that are designed to accommodate younger age groups and renovation to the adjacent picnic pavilion.  The ultimate goal of the playground area will encompass a nautical theme that will commemorate our strong maritime heritage and possibly design play structures and a picnic pavilion that will resemble certain historic landmarks within the community including the Gateway Arch, Frankfort North Breakwater Light and an historic train depot that was built adjacent to the former Frontenac Hotel and has long since been removed. 

“I have found the greatest success of procuring supplemental funding has been through grant application submittals; however there are only so many grant agencies around that will fund this type of project.  The City is seeking additional funding, which would be tax-deductible, to enable the complete project to come to fruition,” stated Mills.  There will be a play structure constructed at Mineral Springs Park by July 1, 2012 regardless of our continued ability to generate funding, however if success is achieved to fully develop all components of the project we will have a facility that will not only enhance Mineral Springs Park and our downtown corridor but provide an opportunity to commemorate the history of the community through a safe play environment for our youth. 

If you would like to contribute toward this worthwhile project, tax-deductible donations can be made to: City of Frankfort, P.O. Box 351, Frankfort, MI  49635.

City of Frankfort, 412 Main St., P.O. Box 351, Frankfort, MI 49635
Open Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.                                   Ph: (231) 352-7117 Fax: (231) 352-7100