Ortonville- More than 30 residents crowded the Old Town Hall during the village council’s Jan. 22 meeting, many drawn by a proposed nature walking trail.
It is unclear how many in the audience are opposed and how many are in favor of the trail, which a group of local citizens began researching after the village council expressed interest two months ago.
At last week’s meeting, Dan Eschmann spoke on behalf of residents, including those of the Crescent Hills subdivision, which is adjacent to the 48-acre parcel of village-owned land where the nearly 1-mile trail would be located. He was also one of several speakers at the Jan. 8 council meeting, in which residents spoke against a proposed ban on hunting in the village that has coincided with the trail proposal. Village officials are currently waiting to hear from the Department of Natural Resources concerning the proposed hunting ban.
Eschmann read from a list of several questions regarding the trail, which were also distributed to councilmembers. Among the questions asked were why the trail is needed; how will it be different from other trails in the area; whether the trail will be accessible to the disabled; how the trail would be accessed by emergency responders; what the village’s long-term plan to maintain the trail is; and what the forecasted costs of maintaining the trail would be.
Council President Sue Bess noted that the council was not prepared to answer the questions, many of which are being researched by the group of residents that proposed the trail.
‘If you were here when the concept (of the trail) was introduced, it would have stopped the ‘you versus us,?? said Bess. ‘We truly believe in what we’re doing. We don’t want confrontation. We all want what is best for the village.?
Lois Robbins and Rick McAvinchey, both members of the North Oakland Headwaters Land Conservancy, proposed the trail at the village council’s Nov. 27 meeting. Members of the council voiced interest and support for further research into financing such a trail, which could include grants and volunteer labor.

The proposed trail on 40 acres of village property, says McAvinchey, would begin at Mill Street, go through the upland cedar forest part of the property, just west of the Crescent Hills subdivision, south through upland cedar forest, cross an area of cedar-tamarack swamp, continue to upland oak forest and connect to the old railroad bed, follow north to the H.T. Burt Elementary School property, and continue north to Church Street near the post office. The total length of this trail would be about six-tenths of a mile, but the group would like to add on once it is finished and extend the trail to the cul-de-sac at Candace Court. This would make the total length of the trail, which might also be used for bicycling, .88 miles.
‘I really empathize with your concerns,? said Robbins, addressing residents at the most recent meeting. ‘We are aware of several and will research some new questions.?
Robbins noted that it will take ‘quite awhile? to research the prospective trail and added that in other communities, many property owners who are adjacent to trails and were initially opposed now love the trails in their community and saw a rise in their property values.
Robbins believes the proposed village trail can be done with volunteer labor at no cost to anyone, but said that if the trail committee runs into a cost issue they would be ‘done, packing up and going home.?
Still, she said that there are a number of people in support of the trail, which she stressed is in the beginning, exploratory stages.
‘I hope you don’t kill the bird before it’s had a chance to fly,? she said.