Formal Dedication of the Seven Mile Non-Motorized Entrance

On May 8, 2026, the Seven Mile Non-Motorized Entrance was formally dedicated—an achievement made possible through collaboration, community support, and a shared commitment to improving access to this treasured park.

“This is the day we’ve been waiting for,” said Kale Leftwich, Maybury Park Supervisor. He opened the dedication by giving thanks to individuals and groups who helped make this happen:

• Field Representative for State of Michigan, Dean Barr, who oversaw the project.
• Former Maybury State Park Supervisor, Traci Sincock, “who drove this ‘ship’ about 498 miles of a 500-mile drive, and I just pulled it in.”
• Our contractor, STE Group of Mount Clemens, for doing “a fantastic job of taking the drawings and turning them into reality.”
• Our park staff, “they make everything happen out here.”
• Friends of Maybury State Park, “they were a huge help.”

Northville Mayor Turnbull shared that this entrance is one piece of a larger plan for the area. “Mark (Abbo) and I are working together on a pathway system where we connect city and township parks, but also to state parks and the county area.”

“We are that last connector in the state of Michigan,” said Turnbull. “In downtown Northville we have five different studies that will [connect paths] all the way up to Oakland County, that will connect to the Nine Mile path, that will go to I-75, all the way to Pontiac Trail….” All told, this will connect “twenty miles of linear path to Hines Drive all the way to Dearborn.” Across the state “paths are being connected to Mackinaw City south to Ohio.”

“Partnerships are important,” said Northville Township Supervisor Mark Abbo. “I always like to think that, selectively, all of our arrows are pointing in the same direction. And they are.” Abbo continued, “We can’t do it all, and the city can’t do it all, and our neighbors and friends can’t do it all. Everyone works together.”

A resident who lives nearby reflected that this entrance has been “a HUGE upgrade for us and our way of life.” Where they previously only had a one-mile loop to safely walk each day, they can now easily access and walk the park’s trails. He said, “We truly appreciate all the work that the Friends [of Maybury State Park] and government did.”

U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell said, “It’s an honor to be here. I love our parks. I do everything I can to support them in the state.” In reference to the plans to continue connecting paths, she said, motioning toward the park, “I want to see us able to go up through here, to the river, and all the way up to Port Huron.”

Among those in attendance were U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell, Michigan State Representative Matt Koleszar, Northville Mayor Brian Turnbull, Northville Township Supervisor Mark Abbo, Field Representative for State of Michigan Dean Barr, Chief of Planning and Design for Wayne County Parks Elizabeth Wittkopf Iszler, Executive Director of the Northville Historical Society (and former Maybury State Park Supervisor) Traci Sincock, Assistant Director of Northville Parks & Recreation Greg Morris, Maybury State Park Supervisor Kale Leftwich and park staff, Friends of Maybury State Park board members and volunteers, and park visitors.

Special thanks to the park staff for installation of the new bench and rock and dedication plaques at the new entrance.

History of the Seven Mile Non-Motorized Entrance
by Traci Sincock

In 2018, Maybury State Park completed a 10-year Park Management Plan developed by Beckett & Raeder under the direction of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Planning Division. The process incorporated extensive community input, including focus groups, public surveys, park users, and stakeholder sessions. The plan was formally adopted in 2019 following review by the Michigan State Park Advisory Committee.

Among the many goals and improvement ideas identified, the most frequently requested enhancement was the creation of a non-motorized entrance on the south side of the park along Seven Mile Road. Since the park’s opening in 1975, residential development has expanded significantly around it. While residents along the north and east sides (near Eight Mile Road and Beck Road) have long enjoyed convenient access by car, bike, and foot, those living to the south and west have faced limited and often inconvenient entry options. Many were forced to travel around the park perimeter, and cyclists in particular had to navigate the high-traffic Beck Road entrance—widely considered hazardous—especially given the growing popularity of the park’s mountain biking trails.

At the January 2020 Friends of Maybury State Park Annual Meeting, attendees strongly reaffirmed the need for a safer, more accessible southern entrance. In response, the Friends of Maybury State Park Board of Directors committed to funding an engineering study to evaluate the feasibility and requirements of such a project.

Following delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, an engineering firm completed a conceptual plan. This plan was presented to Wayne County Roads Division, which manages Seven Mile Road, as well as to Northville Township staff. Construction cost estimates were developed, and the Friends of Maybury State Park launched a fundraising campaign to bring the project to life.

The response from the community was remarkable. Numerous local residents contributed, alongside several generous anonymous donors. Additional support came through matching grant funding from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

Construction finally began in mid 2025 and was completed within a few months in the fall. Thanks to the dedication and perseverance of the Friends of Maybury State Park, this long-envisioned project has become a reality.