After the Grand Marais City Council failed to embrace the idea of a flagpole being erected in Harbor Park in memory of Dick Joynes, a well-loved Grand Marais businessman who died in 2001, the Grand Marais Park Board tossed around other possibilities at its monthly meeting Tuesday, August 3, 2010.
The idea started with a circle of coffee klatchers at Blue Water Café and is being promoted by Gene Erickson and Park Johnson, old friends of Joynes.
According to Bill Lenz, the city council representative on the park board, the council is simply following guidelines made by the Harbor Park Committee when the park was created. Ironically, Erickson was the last private owner of the property that is now Harbor Park. It was the site of the Standard station that he owned and operated for many years.
According to Park Manager Dave Tersteeg, the only way to donate something to Harbor Park is to purchase a teak bench with a plaque for $5,000 or a plaque for one of the concrete wall benches for $750 or to donate a piece of approved artwork along with a negotiated monetary donation. Flags are not on the list.
Tersteeg said that so far, five teak benches with plaques and more than a dozen concrete bench plaques have been sold.
Tersteeg suggested the possibility of a flag in Compass Park (on the lake at the bottom of Third Avenue West) or at the Coast Guard building, where the old flagpole needs replacement. Tersteeg said Mayor Sue Hakes told him Border Patrol agent Rich Fortunato said they would be happy to memorialize Dick with a new flag at that location. Bill Lenz also suggested Boulder Park (across from Sydney’s), which is owned by the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
Lenz said Gene Erickson would appear before the council again to further discuss the donation that is being offered.
Summer stats
The park has been receiving “a lot of compliments” this year, Tersteeg reported. “It’s been really good. A lot of happy campers.”
Park income is up 3% over last year. “July was a really good month,” Tersteeg said, with income exceeding last July, which was also a very good month. “We’re on a roll,” he said.
People are camping in increasing numbers across the U.S., and “RVing is trendy,” he reported. RVs are getting bigger, and more people are taking them camping. Thepark only has a handful of big sites right now and it needs more, Tersteeg said.
The beautiful July weather might be bringing swimmers out to local lakes and rivers. That’s Head Lifeguard Charles Christiansen’s theory regarding the latest pool stats. “July was a little slow for us,” he said. July brought in $11,002 in cash, $1,772 less than last July. The month brought 3,025 visitors, down 1,153 from last July.
Overall, the pool has collected 2% less money this year than it had collected last year at this time. “Everything is going smoothly,” said Christiansen. “Just a little quieter.”
Numbers at the Gunflint Hills Golf Course are up this summer. “That’s all the swimmers,” Manager Mike Kunshier joked. Income so far this year is $89,558, 17% over last year at this time.
Themembership goal for this year was 100, but that has been exceeded by 20. “Good job,” Tersteeg said to Kunshier.
The year got off to a good start because of the early spring, with golfers starting in April. Board chair Walt Mianowski suggested that global warming might have caused the early spring. Kunshier quipped, “Maybe we’ll get March next year.”
Bill Lenz reported that the park made $34,938 last year after expenses. In other years it has lost as much as $90,000 – when a bathhouse was redone – and has come out ahead as much as $50,000. Thepool never makes money, but other park income makes up for pool losses.
Baseball tourney snacks
Theboard gave the boys’ summer baseball league permission to sell hot dogs, brats, chips, and candy during its Fisherman’s Picnic tournament. Coming to bat for their league were Dylan Quaife and Kale Boomer, who brought the request to the board along with Quaife’s mother, Cindy Crawford.
“They travel a lot,” Crawford said. “They’re in a deficit right now, so they’re trying to figure out ways to make money.”
WTIP Radio Waves festival
Despite the fact that WTIP Radio had to pay $150 last year for electric usage during the Radio Waves festival at the bottom of the sledding hill, the board voted to waive a fee this year.
Kathy Quinn of WTIP announced that the third annual festival would be two days this year: Friday, September 10 and Saturday September 11. The festival began three years ago as a 10th anniversary thank-you to the community.
Numerous campsites will be closed during the event, but it won’t cost the park any revenue because plenty of other sites will be available for campers the weekend after Labor Day. Board member Paul Anderson said he would recommend charging a fee if campers had to be turned away. “We’re wide open,” Tersteeg said regarding campsite availability that weekend.
This year WTIP will make arrangements with vendors for the event and will do background checks on them instead of park staff doing them. WTIP has insurance for the event as well.
“It’s mainly a give-back idea,” Quinn said. “It’s such a cool spot.” Park staff has been great to work with, she said.
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