Work to stabilize the bluff at Hagar Park Beach will start soon now that the Hagar Township Board of Trustees has approved a contract for the project.

Hagar Township Supervisor Izzy DiMaggio tells us they’ve had erosion along the bluff for a couple of years with some of the beach area eliminated. It creates a potentially dangerous situation for kids who climb on the bluff, no matter how many times they’re told not to do that. The township board Monday approved an agreement with deBest Landscaping of South Haven to fix the issue.

“The agreement was for $114,000, which is far less than the original quote we got back several months ago of about $480,000,” DiMaggio said.

DiMaggio says when the township got that higher estimate, it met with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy and contractors to look for alternatives. The reason the first estimate was so high was because the recommendation was to build a stone revetment. However, the later meetings determined that would not be necessary after all. So, what’s the new plan?

“They’re going to put a manhole up at the top of the bluff to catch water coming off, some storm water. Then they’re going to do some boring and run a pipe and then do a separate drain about halfway down, and this will divert the water away from the bluff, and it’ll divert it underneath the bluff and eventually end up by the beach.”

DiMaggio says the plan also involves some native backfill and vegetation. If all goes well, everything could be in place in May.

DiMaggio says EGLE was helpful and cooperative with the township, determining it wouldn’t need a critical dunes permit to get the work done.