When renovations wrap up, accessing the island will be easier for those who want to learn more about the island or just spend the day roaming it.

The township owns the southern 4.4 acres of the 215-acre island and township officials are trying to obtain the balance of the property from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.

At a recent township Board of Trustees meeting, trustees voted to hire CEI Consultants to do a comprehensive site analysis and design a docking and walkway system. The dock would be large enough to fit at least two 26-foot boats.

Alpena Township Supervisor Nathan Skibbe said the island is about 14 miles from the shoreline of Alpena and is underutilized.

News File Photo The lighthouse on Thunder Bay Island is seen from the deck of the Lady Michigan in this 2020 News archive photo.

He said the goal is for that to change, as Alpena’s history is directly linked to the island and the remnants of past life on the island need to be preserved.

Also, Skibbe said, the island would be another attraction for people who live in the area and for those visiting.

“Thunder Bay Island is the birthplace of Alpena, and the history of our city started there,” Skibbe said. “This project would open up the door as a culture center for people. Right now, it is hard to understand the historic significance of the island without being able to see it and touch it. This would allow for people to easily get to it and back.”

Skibbe described getting on the island via boat as dangerous and said anyone who wants to check it out needs to moor their boat offshore or run it aground, which is not a good idea and could damage the boat.

“Right now, it is not safe, and it needs a dock,” he said.

Because of the nature of the project, a long list of other agencies will have to be involved, including the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Michigan Historic Preservation Office.

The township’s consultancy firm said in its proposal that it will handle a great deal of the permitting process and also help to apply for grants for construction of the dock and trailway.

In the proposal, the firm said it would have the needed studies complete and a preliminary design and estimated cost sometime in July.

“This is an inevitable step toward getting the process done,” Skibbe said. “It will make it as close to a shovel-ready project as possible, and that is what they look for. This is a great first step in preserving the island and exposing it to more people.”

Steve Schulwitz can be reached at 989-358-5689 at sschulwitz@thealpenanews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ss_alpenanews.com.