ANN ARBOR—Plans for a unique collaboration in Great Lakes research and education were presented to the University of Michigan Board of Regents at their May meeting. The Regents today (May 17) approved a measure that will enable the University to initiate planning for the conversion of a Grand Haven water plan into the Grand Haven Aquatic Research and Education Center.

The proposed facility would involve a partnership with Grand Valley State University and the City of Grand Haven to create a center for freshwater research, to serve as an on-site location for teaching about the Great Lakes aquatic environment to undergraduates, post-graduates and K-12 students and teachers throughout the state, and to encourage public interest in the Great Lakes aquatic life and environmental issues through focused education programs. Additional assistance would come from the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory and the Great Lakes Research Center, both in Ann Arbor.

“The University possesses an extensive array of interrelated research and instructional programs on all facets of the environment,” said U-M Vice President for Research Homer A. Neal. “Grand Valley State University, located close to the city of Grand Haven, is evolving a strong applied research and training program in water resources and boasts a new state-of-the-art analytical chemistry and geographical information system facility. “The City of Grand Haven, longtime home of our research vessel the ‘Laurentian,’ is eager to expand its commitment to environmental research and advocacy by providing a home for a new regional collaborative research and teaching facility,” noted Neal.

The program would be housed in a building that would be planned to facilitate University, regional, and in due time, national opportunities for organized teaching activities as well as informal learning experiences. It would complement existing research facilities and offer new opportunities for Great Lakes ecosystem research by allowing the creation of controlled aquatic environments. The City of Grand Haven has offered to provide, through a long-term lease, use of the water plant which is adjacent to the Laurentian docking area on the Grand River and close to Lake Michigan, near the Coast Guard Station in Grand Haven.

Preliminary feasibility studies have indicated that the 7,000-square-foot building can be adapted to suit the needs of the proposed program and could accommodate offices, laboratories, meeting rooms and research aquaria. Approximately $3 million will be required to renovate and adapt the facility, according to Neal. Approval was granted for the site and to begin planning the facility to the extent necessary to successfully seek funding for the renovations and operations. A more detailed design and construction plan are expected to be presented within the year.

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