Alan Ralph/For the Gazette Norman Pestka of Pestka construction works to clear out a portion of the leased beach property

ONTONAGON — Work on the public beach in downtown Ontonagon is ongoing, moving in leaps and bounds this week.

The project began about 16 months ago when Lake Shore Systems (LSS) agreed to lease the 4.5 acre stretch of unused beach to the Downtown Development Authority at $1 a year. LSS agreed to pay property taxes on the land  opening it up to the community.

This week saw trees planted and brush cleared by local volunteers. The Great Lakes Conservation Corps planted trees on the leased property as well as around town while Norman Pestka of Pestka Construction added rocks and gravel and cleaned up brush, stumps, trees and wire.

“It’s going to be nice access for the people to get to the beach,” Pestka said.

Pestka and his team donated time, equipment and labor to the beach project, some of the many chipping in.

For Pestka there’s no time for thanks, there’s always more work to be done.

“I’m the getter done guy,” he said, naming his Dan Pestka and his assistants Wally and Charlie as key to the project’s completion.

“I think it’s pretty exciting to get a place that everybody can enjoy,” he said.

Despite the progress there is still more to be done, said Alan Ralph, one of the instigators of the project, formerly of the DDA.

“It’s going to be fairly rough and crude this year but a lot has been done,” Ralph said.

Now that most of the heavy equipment has gone through, a cleanup crew will be needed for the smaller items like branches, scrap metal and litter. That will need to be done in the coming weeks as well as the installation of the official signs.

Additionally, a wood chip path may be added this summer to mark the trail to the beach.

Long term Ralph’s hoping to form a “beach brigade” to care for the area and keep it clean and work to apply for grants for improvements. The area would be divided into sections an individual or group would be responsible for caring for.

Signage for visitor parking and directions to the beach are also areas of needed development.

“Instead of adopt a highway, adopt a beach,” he said.