North House Folk School Director Greg Wright updated the Grand Marais City Council on the school’s plans to renovate its parking area.
Grand Marais city councilors heard updates on three upcoming projects during their June 8 meeting.
Steve Schug of the U.S. Forest Service spoke first. He has been working with the Boy Scouts for about a year and a half to coordinate a project that was originally expected to bring up to 700 Scouts and their leaders to Cook County June 18-27. Unfortunately, said Schug, that number has dwindled to only about 200.
Accordingly, he said, the projects have been reduced, but will still include work on single-track bike trails and the Superior Hiking Trail. Schug said the project, which calls for work by the Scouts on 57 miles of the Superior Hiking Trail, will be continued later in the summer by volunteers from the Minnesota Conservation Corps; it is expected that the Boy Scouts will be able to complete only about four miles.
Yet, Schug said he was happy with the expected turnout. “Two hundred is a good showing,” he said. “Whenever you can get that many volunteers to commit to and work on a project, it’s a success story. We’re pretty happy with that.”
The Scouts will stay at the Cook County Schools campus and are expected to visit local attractions in the Grand Marais area during their “free time” in the evenings. Mayor Bear Carlson said he would be happy to welcome the Scouts to town and speak with them upon their arrival.
Next up was Greg Wright, director of the North House Folk School. He spoke about the school’s plans to renovate its “highly functional big gray parking lot” through the use of creative landscaping that includes asphalt, beach rocks, paving bricks and shrubbery.
Wright said North House’s board considered many options, including the replacement of the hard-surfaced area with grass. But, he said, due to the need for forklifts, pick-ups and other equipment necessary for the work conducted in the blacksmith shop and other areas, a hard surface must be maintained in some form. The result will be the creation of a large “community space” that incorporates the lakefront with some built-in seating, an out-of-sight parking area and a fire pit for large gatherings such as the summer solstice celebration and wooden boat show. Councilor and North House liaison Jan Sivertson called the plan “fabulous,” and said it would greatly enhance the city’s asset.
Wright said things are still on track for an early October ground-breaking, and the grant money — $180,000 — must be spent by May 1. “We are remodeling your property, so it’s only respectful to come here and show you our plans, and ask for approval,” said Wright. Council approved the plan presented by Wright, which had been approved by the North House board earlier in the week.
Finally, Library Director Linda Chappell presented a facilities use agreement that was worked out with the library board and ISD 166 for use of school facilities during construction of the library addition. Chappell said it was only five or six weeks ago that library administrators found out the building would have to be vacated during the construction project, and since then have been on a search for adequate temporary quarters.
Based on a standard rate of $1 per square foot, Chappell said the board was able to reach an agreement with the high school for use of its conference room at a cost of $2,000 per month. The agreement was approved of by the school and library boards, and City Attorney Chris Hood said he didn’t see any problems with it and advised city council to give their approval as well. Unanimous approval was given.
Chappell said it is expected that the library will be in its temporary home until November, and expects to maintain all of its services during the displacement.
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