Byway Organization and Colleges Partner for Lifelong Learning Tours

A byway representative interested in getting people out on the byway approached the Lifelong Learning programs at two local community colleges to develop byway tours.

Who/What:

The Michigan Historic Heritage Trail has partnered with the Lifelong Learning Centers at Glen Oaks Community College and Kellogg Community College to offer byway tours to senior-aged travelers.

When/Where:

The partnerships offered four tours as a pilot program in 2004. Two tours covered the eastern half of the 212-mile byway; two tours covered the western half. One college program offered the eastern half tour in 2005. The Michigan Historic Heritage Trail extends toward Detroit to the east and toward Chicago to the west.

How:

The college programs arranged for 25-passenger college-owned buses in 2004 and for a comfort motorcoach in 2005. The college programs promoted the tours to a lifelong learning target audience of people 55 to 60 and older, and semi-retired or retired. The programs took the reservations and provided an on-board escort.

Byway representatives - one Michigan State University Extension employee who dedicates part of her time to the byway and a local historian - developed the tour routes and tested the two loop tours emanating from a mid-point on the byway. The tours were adjusted based on public test evaluations. The byway representatives checked tour sites for such details as appropriate restroom facilities and parking space for the buses. The tours visited historic sites and downtowns, farm markets, antique shops and rural attractions. Lunch logistics have included stopping at a single restaurant where travelers were offered a choice of three entrees and stopping in a downtown area and allowing travelers to select the restaurant of their choice.

The two byway representatives have served as tour guides. They are looking at developing a network of community-based volunteer step-on guides who would each do a short tour of their local community. This arrangement would eliminate the need for a single byway guide covering the entire 8-hour tour.

Funding Potential:

The colleges set the tour price for travelers and paid the byway organization $250 per tour. These tours are still in development. The byway representatives see the potential for promoting the tours to a broader national audience in the future.

Why Lifelong Learning Tours:

• Provide revenue from a market audience that has disposable income

• Showcase the byway

• Offer byway-academic-business partnership opportunities

Resources:

Lifelong Learning Program