On Friday, Sept. 18, Save The Ponds will host a community celebration and groundbreaking to mark the start of the Paris Fishponds restoration project.

The six-phase project will address the ponds’ condition, including repairs to the raceway and intake system, restoration of Pond 3 walls, and replacement of the Pond 2 exit dam and adjacent raceway. As of Thursday, Aug. 20, more than $480,000 has been raised, and a construction contract has been awarded for the first three phases after engineering, permitting and public bidding requirements were completed.

The ponds date to 1881, when the Department of Conservation established the Paris State Fish Hatchery to produce and distribute salmon and trout fingerlings throughout Michigan. The property was expanded and improved in the 1930s and was closed by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources in 1964. The Mecosta County Park Commission acquired the property in 1973 and opened it as Paris County Park in 1976.

“When we started talking to people about the ponds, we kept hearing stories,” said Save The Ponds Committee Chairman Rick Hatkowski. “People have strong memories of this place. It is part of our community’s history. It is in rough shape, but we are going to fix it.”

Fundraising efforts launched in November 2024 and included a $75,000 contribution from the Mecosta County Board of Commissioners. Community members, businesses and organizations have since supported the effort through donations, fundraising events and programs such as “Adopt a Trout.”

The public is invited to two free events Friday, Sept. 18, at Paris County Park to celebrate the occasion. A groundbreaking ceremony will be held at 3 p.m., followed by a Community Concert in the Park with live music, food vendors and family-friendly activities from 6 to 9 p.m. Vehicle entry fees will be waived for attendees. Visitors should report to the Paris County Park office for directions to the groundbreaking site.

“We want this to be a celebration for everyone,” Hatkowski said. “This project belongs to the community. The people who remember the ponds, the people who have supported the project, and the people who are discovering the ponds for the first time are all part of the story.”

For more information on the event, follow the project’s Facebook page here: SAVE THE PONDS FACEBOOK PAGE.

_{Release information and photo courtesy of Save the Ponds & Mecosta County Park Commission.}