SISTER LAKES — A local township organization in Sister Lakes is looking to add a paved trail to connect Sister Lakes with other communities.

The Sister Lakes Corridor Improvement Authority, which was formed more than 10 years ago by a group of community residents, is looking to clear the ground for the trailhead in the spring with the construction of a pavilion beginning in the fall. The CIA works on projects to help improve the Sister Lakes area.

“It’s a resort area,” said Rodney Pletz, the chairman of the CIA. Pletz has served on the board for more than seven years. “We have a lot of people from out of town that come in. A group of citizens wanted to improve the overall area of the downtown district, so they partnered with Keeler Township to develop the CIA.”

Pletz, along with eight other board members, are volunteers organized under Keeler Township.

Currently, the CIA is working on obtaining grants through the Michigan Department of Transportation and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to assist in building their trail.

“Our main project is a bike trail to connect from Sister Lakes to the Van Buren Trail in Hartford,” Pletz said. “That trail, of course, connects to a South Haven trail and there is also a Paw-Paw Lake Trail that comes in. There is also a trail in Cass County that comes out that way. The idea would also be to tie into Dowagiac.”

The CIA has been chasing the funding for the project since the organization’s inception. In order to first create seed money, the organization started the Sister Lakes Triathlons, which Pletz said has been well supported by the community.

The plan for the location of the trailhead is to be in a corner of the Sister Lakes Lions Club park. The Lions Club offered the CIA a 99-year lease of the property.

“The Lions Club is kind of a focal park area for the Sister Lakes community. Our triathlon ends there, and our banquet for the awards ceremony [is here],” Pletz said. “There are a lot of activities that go on at the Lions Club. We approached them, and they offered us land for the trailhead.”

Pletz said the location would also help bring people in through the downtown district of Sister lakes to a central location. The trailhead would also help the Lions Park be more active.

In order to help raise funds, the CIA is selling engraved bricks to support funding of the trailhead and to peak community interest.

The trailhead would act as a pavilion area with a fence around it. Around the cement pad for the pavilion will sit the donation bricks. In order to attract brick sales, the CIA is using the catchphrase, “Set your foundation in Sister Lakes.”

“The idea has been well received, but we haven’t seen a lot of participation in the bricks sales,” Pletz said. “We haven’t broken ground yet, and it has been slow getting started. Everyone we talked to liked the idea.”

Pletz hopes the trail will act as connection between Sister Lakes and outside communities. The CIA is also looking to see an improvement in the business district.

“I think before supporting another big project the community wants to see something in return,” Pletz said. “Once we get this started and break ground, I think we will see the support.”