Past Great Place grants have funded a variety of projects that encourage people to get outdoors. Things like murals, benches, and sculptures have been created. A 2015 Great Place project was this whimsical Plaid Moose by Tom Christensen of Last Chance Studio and Gallery in Lutsen.
Over the last two years, a transformation has been taking place in Cook County. Twenty-nine Great Place projects have been created by local artists, business owners, and nonprofits.
The Cook County of Chamber of Commerce and the Moving Matters project of the Sawtooth Mountain Clinic, with new support this year from the Minnesota Power Foundation, announce the third year of the Great Place Project, which invites applications for $250 to $1,250 for low-cost, high-impact projects to make a place great.
A Great Place is one that is inviting, beautiful and catches the eye. A Great Place encourages people to slow down and spend time there. A Great Place reflects the unique character and identity of the community. Past projects have ranged from public art to benches to Little Free Libraries.
For the 2016 round of funding, the theme is “Playability.” Projects that enhance or create a place that welcomes people with a playfulness or whimsy, especially for children, will be favored. In addition, this year projects that have significant visual impact and will inspire physical activity are sought. Projects that entice children and families to run and play and laugh, for example, will score high on the review, as will projects that create beauty with sufficient “pop” that they cause people to stop for a longer look.
The application is available online at www.becausemovingmatters.org or paper copies are available at the Cook County Chamber of Commerce (15 N. Broadway, Grand Marais). Deadline for applications is March 31. For more information, contact the Chamber at ccchamber@boreal.org or (218) 387-2079.
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