HOUGHTON – A green space in central Houghton acquired as a park through a Department of Natural Resources grant will stay that way.

The Houghton City Council approved a declaration that the city is obliged to follow requirements for the long-term conservation of the property, which must be kept for public outdoor recreation.

Any currently prohibited use of the land, or the transfer of the rights to another entity, would have to be approved by the DNR and the Michigan Natural resources Trust Fund Board of Trustees.

“This is one of the closeout conditions for the grant,” Waara said.

The park is bounded by Seventh and South avenues and Portage and Franklin streets.

Houghton acquired the undeveloped property, formerly owned by Bill and Greta Gappy, through a $80,500 Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grant in 2014.

Local matches came from the Keweenaw Land Trust and Copper Country Audubon Society, which contributed $21,000, and the city’s general fund, which added $5,700.

Aside from a parking area off Seventh Avenue and some minimal signage and wayfinding signs – “an arrow on a tree,” Waara said – there would be no development.

“It’s intended to be simply green space,” Waara said.