Mount Pleasant more than a college town in summer

For CMU students, school is already out, and local public-school students will soon be free of their classroom curse.
So now what?
Living in Mount Pleasant during a Michigan summer may seem like a misfortune, but with a little effort, newfound summer free time could easily become a blessing in disguise. Mount Pleasant and its surrounding areas are both full of opportunities to kick back and enjoy a lot of fun of both the outdoor and indoor variety.
Summer residents looking to get away from torturous temperatures need look no further than the Community Recreation Center, 516 E. Remus Road.
The ice rink at the center provides many chances to beat the heat while also getting a healthy and relaxing workout. At least one public open skate period is scheduled every day of the week, said Kevin Barnes, center employee.
“Regular open skating costs $3 for admission, and it’s $2 for skate rental,” Barnes said.
The center also offers special “Dollar Deal” skating periods on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3 to 4:45 p.m.
“These sessions cost only $1 for admission and $1 for skate rental,” Barnes said.
From 8:15 to 10 p.m. on Friday and from 7:15 to 9 p.m. on Saturdays there are “Open Ice Party” nights at the rink.
Barnes said that the parties feature lighting effects and music.
“We get a deejay out there and everything,” he said.
The center is preparing for its summer adult hockey leagues, which will begin in early July, and is offering drop-in hockey ice times six days a week. The cost is $6.
The center will also offer two three-week learn-to-skate courses this summer.
For more information about these events, call the Community Recreation Center at 772-9623.
Area Parks
Mount Pleasant also has plenty of parks for those interested in outdoor fun.
Island Park, 331 N. Main St., features volleyball, basketball and tennis courts as well as softball fields for sports fanatics. The Chippewa River winds through the park, offering some serene scenery. For the children (or just the young at heart), there is also a large wooden playground structure to romp through.
Mill Pond Park, 607 S. Adams Road, and Chipp-A-Waters Park, 1403 W. High St., offer the same basic-park elements. Both parks feature covered picnic tables and play areas, as well as paved walkways and natural trails. The parks are capped off by their views of the Chippewa River.
Nelson Park, 714 W. Broadway Road, features a river view and picnic tables, as well as safely contained areas holding deer and the Nelson Park bear.
Also, Mission Creek Woodland Park, 1458 N. Harris Road, offers beautiful scenery, while Deerfield Park, 2425 W. Remus Road, is a good spot for mountain biking.
Call the Mount Pleasant Parks and Recreation Department for more information on these parks at 773-7971.
Campers are welcome at both the Coldwater Lake Family Park in Weidman and the Herrick Recreation Area in Clare.
Coldwater Lake Family Park features swimming, boating and camping, as well as two pavilions that are available for rental. Campers who prefer a roof over their heads can call ahead to reserve one of the park’s four cabins on a nightly basis.
The Herrick Recreation Area is a popular beach area because it is only about 15 minutes from Mount Pleasant. In addition to the beach, the area features 78 camp sites and five cabins available for rental.
For more information, or to set up a reservation for
a campsite, call the Isabella County Parks and Recreation Department at
772-0911. Also, information about state parks can be found at www.dnr.state.mi.us.
Canoeing and kayaking
Residents looking for more exciting things to do might look into some of the canoeing or kayaking experiences available locally.
Chippewa River Outfitters, 3763 S. Lincoln Road, offers various lengths of tubing, kayaking or canoeing trips.
Employee John Anderson said a four-mile trip costs $23 by canoe and $15 by kayak, and takes just over an hour to complete.
An eight-mile trip costs $24 by canoe, $15 by kayak, and takes approximately two hours.
The 10-mile trip runs $26 per canoe, $15 per kayak, and takes approximately three hours.
The 12-mile trip costs $28 per canoe and $17.50 per kayak, filling four to five hours of a day, and the 18 mile trip – $30 per canoe, $20 per kayak – takes a little over five hours to complete.
Tube rides are also available for the four- and eight-mile trips.
“We use the theme-park type of tubes with handles,” Anderson said. They prevent possible tube burns that standard black rubber tubes tend to cause.
The four-mile tube rides cost $5 for a single tube and $7.50 for a double. The ride takes just over three hours.
The eight-mile course costs $7.50 for a single tube, $9.50 for a double tube, and takes about five hours to complete.
Customers come to the Outfitters Office on Lincoln Road, and are then driven to the beginning of their trip by an employee. All trips end back at the Outfitters Office.
Chippewa River Outfitters opens at 11 a.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. on weekends, with the last trips starting at around 5 p.m. on all days, Anderson said.
Buckley’s Mountainside Canoes Livery, 4700 W. Remus Road, also offers canoe trips.
“We’re located on the upper Chippewa River,” said Owner Donna Buckley. “We’ve been here over 25 years, probably into 28 now.”
One-hour canoe trips cost $22, while two to three-hour trips cost $24. Hardcore canoeists can take a three to four-hour trip for $26, or a four to five-hour trip for $29.
Group student discounts are available, but since weekends tend to be busy, Buckley said she recommends calling ahead of time to make a reservation.
For more information about Buckley’s, call 773-7971.
Skydiving
Summer residents looking to stay dry can always take part nature’s giant blowdryer, also known as a 35-second, one-mile free fall courtesy of Mount Pleasant’s own Central Michigan Skydivers, 5453 E. Airport Road.
According to Central Michigan Skydivers’ Web site, prospective skydivers can experience the thrill sailing towards the earth in a tandem jump with an experienced and licensed instructor for $159.
It only takes about an hour to prepare for a tandem jump, enough time to watch a video, sign the necessary waivers and get instructions for the upcoming jump.
For first-time thrillseekers, Central Michigan Skydivers offers the options of photographing and/or videotaping the jump.
According to the Web site, Central Michigan Skydivers also offers a 12-jump program for skydivers interested in learning to jump on their own.
Licensed jumpers and jumpers that have completed the 12-jump program can jump for $13 a jump (extra for gear rental).
For directions and more information on pricing, visit
the Central Michigan Skydivers Web site at www.skydivecms.com,
or call 773-8858.
Golf
Outdoor fanatics looking to exert a little less effort than canoeing requires – or a lot less fear than jumping out of a plane – can always get their fix on a local golf course.
Local public courses include the Holiday Inn’s Holiday Greens, M-20 and US-27, (772-2905); the Pleasant Hills Golf Club, 4452 E. Millbrook Road, (772-0487); and Riverwood, 1313 E. Broomfield, (772-5726). Be sure to call ahead to reserve a tee time.
Racing
Mount Pleasant can also cater to those of a more competitive nature.
The Mount Pleasant Speedway, 4658 E. River Road, offers an exciting way to spend afternoon. Call 773-2387 for a race schedule.
Mount Pleasant Meadows, 500 N. Mission Road, is a great place to take in a beautiful day, see some beautiful horses and even potentially make a little money. Call 773-0012 to get the starting gate times.
Volunteering
The best way to make the summer unforgettable is definitely to help someone else make theirs memorable.
Big Brothers Big Sisters, 402 S. University Ave., is always looking for volunteers. Call 772-5232 for details.
Also, the United Way of Isabella County has two volunteer centers in Mount Pleasant. Call 772-6194 to reach the downtown center, or 774-7685 to reach the campus center.