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Montcalm County to allow trial full‑park rentals at McCarthy Park for 2025 season
Summary
The Board approved a one‑season trial allowing full‑park rentals at McCarthy Park, charging double the usual pavilion fees and directing staff to reevaluate after the season.
The Montcalm County Board of Commissioners voted to allow full‑park rentals at McCarthy Park on a trial basis during the 2025 season and asked staff to return with a review after the season. The motion to authorize staff to develop a full‑day rental policy for McCarthy Park as a 2025 trial was moved, supported and approved by voice vote.
Commissioners discussed pros and cons including public access, frequency limits and fees. County staff described two recent requests: a private wedding and a Frisbee‑golf tournament organizer who wanted exclusive use of the park for a day. Commissioners suggested charging double the usual rental fee for single‑day exclusive rentals and limiting the frequency to prevent the park from becoming routinely private property. "If it's advertised or there's a sign out front by the gate that says, you know, park closed for bridal event, I don't see anything wrong with it," one commissioner said during the discussion. Another commissioner added that the board should limit frequency so the park remains available to the public.
The controller explained current pavilion fees ($75 per small pavilion, $150 for the large pavilion, totaling $300 if all spaces are rented) and said doubling those fees for full‑park exclusive rentals would make the one‑day price about $600. Commissioners agreed to allow staff to try this approach for the current season and reported they would reevaluate if requests became frequent.
The board’s motion authorized the controller and staff to develop the full‑day rental policy and implement a trial for 2025; staff will report back next season with use and revenue data. The motion was carried by voice vote; an earlier roll call showed seven commissioners present.
The decision aims to preserve public access while testing whether controlled, paid exclusive rentals can provide additional revenue and bring events to the park. The board did not set a cap on the number of rentals for 2025 but discussed limiting frequency in future seasons if demand increases.
