Parks

Live Here - St. Joseph is carefully nestled on the southern tip of what has been termed "The Riviera of the Midwest." This deepwater port town is a growing resort community – The lakeshore is peppered with remarkable sand dune formations and lined further inland with a lush countryside that produces some of the nation's finest orchards and vineyards.

2009 Report on Lake Boulevard Bluff Evaluation
A study was conducted by Soil and Materials Engineers, Inc. in mid-July, 2009. This evaluation consisted of the existing coastal bluff along Lake Boulevard between Park Street and Water Street. To read the report in its entirety, please click here.
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Neighborhood Watch
Crime Prevention Information Line - Call (269) 985-0300 to hear how you can help yourself and your neighborhood avoid becoming a victim of various crimes that have occurred in our City. Seasonal crime prevention and safety tips are also given out on this line which is updated several times a month.
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Hydrant Flow Testing
The St. Joseph Public Safety Department and/or the St. Joseph Water Department periodically flow fire hydrants to check the function of the hydrants, to evaluate the firefighting water available from each hydrant, to monitor the condition of the water system, and to remove rust and other sediment from the water distribution system.

Hydrant flushing sometimes stirs up sediment in the water lines and results in temporarily brown or "rusty" water in nearby homes and businesses. You can reduce your chances of having rusty water by minimizing your water use if you know hydrant flushing is taking place in your area. You should particularly avoid washing clothes until the flushing is complete and you have made sure you have flushed any rusty water out of your home plumbing.

If you should have a problem with rusty water, you can flush the rusty water out of your pipes by fully opening a faucet and running cold water until the water runs clear. We recommend that you run water from an outside spigot or utility sink that does not have a mesh strainer / aerator on it to clear the rusty water. You may have to open each of your faucets in turn, to remove all of the rusty water from your system. You should open the faucets one at a time, to ensure the maximum water flow to the open faucet. After flowing the faucets, you may wish to remove and check any mesh strainers / aerators on your faucets to remove any debris that may be trapped. You may also wish to run water through showers, toilets, and even run an empty washer cycle just to make sure you have cleared any rusty water from your pipes.

If you detect a problem with rusty water, you should not wash your laundry until you have cleared the rusty water from your system. If your laundry does become discolored, you should wash it again immediately--do not dry it first! Drying it will make the rust difficult or impossible to remove! Also, do not use a chlorine bleach with rust-stained laundry; the chlorine reacts with the rust and just makes the problem worse! More information on tackling rust stains in clothing is available on the following web site:

Please understand that rusty water is not an unusual side effect from a hydrant flushing program, and does not indicate any sort of problem with the water system. The rust results from a reaction between the chlorine in the water, and iron in the pipes. The chlorine keeps the water safe to drink (although we don't recommend drinking the rusty water!) If you have any questions regarding rusty water, please call the Water Plant at 983-1240.

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Public Health
The Berrien County Health Department offers a variety of clinics to the public.
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2016 - 2020 Parks & Recreation Master Plan

The purpose of the 5-year Parks & Recreation Master Plan is to provide a guide for future park planning in the community for the next five years. In addition, the plan allows for potential funding from the State of Michigan for citizen desired
park improvements.

To view the most recent plans for the following parks, click on it:

Dickinson Park (2/2018)
Whirlpool Centennial Park (2/2018)
Riverview Park (2/2018)

Berrien County Parks

Silver Beach, although located on Lake Street in the City of St. Joseph, this popular bathing beach is operated by Berrien County Parks and Recreation. Click here for information about County-owned parks and beaches.

Park Facility Rental

The City of St. Joseph recognizes the uniquely attractive setting of its parks and welcomes the use of its park facilities for various family activities, including weddings on both Lions and Tiscornia beaches. If you would like more information such as hours, fees, dates, rules, and regulations, or to speak with someone directly about availability for your event, please contact Public Works by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or calling 983-6341.

Park Passes

City residents can receive their annual passes by bringing their ID and license plate numbers (if you have more than 2 vehicles registered to your city address please bring all vehicle registrations at one time so that we can record all of your vehicles) to City Hall. You can register your vehicles yearly starting in February. Records are not kept from year to year.
These passes are good for Tiscornia Beach, Lions Park Beach, 2nd Street Lot, Elm Street Lot (at the Whirlpool Compass Fountain) and Kiwanis Park. At which time Riverview Park becomes a pay to park facility, this pass will include that as well.
Non-residents may purchase either hourly, daily or season passes from the parking meter located at the parks by entering their license plate number and paying by credit card or cash (the machines do not give change).