County commits to purchase of Stewart Lake parcel

Six months after allocating funds toward the purchase of a Burr Oak Township property, members of the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners have formally committed to the transaction.
Tuesday’s purchase agreement centered on what has been called the Stewart Lake parcel. The 126-acre property includes a body of water and will be managed by the county’s parks and recreation department.
County administrator Pat Yoder said the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has agreed to cover more than two-thirds the cost of the $645,000 expense. That leaves a balance of more than $140,000 the county will cover.
Jaymes MacDonald, parks and recreation director, said he expects to close on the deal in a matter of weeks and the park available to the public by the end of the year.
The property, located on the north side of Lafayette Road, includes Stewart Lake, a private body of water that MacDonald said he hopes someday will be a central part of whatever development takes place on the parcel.