“We’re open,” Gunflint Hills Golf Course Manager Mike Kunshier reported to the Grand Marais Park Board Tuesday, May 4, 2010. “We opened up one day earlier than last year, to the day.” He said the course has never opened this early before.
In addition to the sale of season passes, the course brought in about $2,000 in April.
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Kunshier reported that winter weather had not damaged the course. Thegrounds, which already need to be mowed, were watered until it rained.
The clubhouse is staffed weekends, but people who want to golf during the weekdays can go ahead and start golfing if no one is in the office. Kunshier said he and Rob Staples, who are out working on the grounds during the week, could catch up with golfers if no one is in the office when they start.
Eight season passes have not been renewed this year due to illness and death, Kunshier reported, but the course picked up 10 new season pass holders this spring. He hopes they can pick up more golfers under the age of 30.
“Mike’s been doing a good job,” said board chair Walt Mianowski.
Master Plan implementation
The board discussed which sites would be at the top of the priority list for full hook-up upgrades. Park Manager Dave Tersteeg will work with an engineer on planning sewer lines to sites that do not have sewer hookups yet. Those plans will need approval from the Minnesota Department of Health. The upgrades will follow the Master Plan the board adopted last year.
Office Manager Samantha Williams has been taking reservations for seasonal sites and has been able to accommodate everyone who has requested one so far this year. Phasing in of the Master Plan will eventually affect about 25 current seasonal sites. “It’s significant,” said Tersteeg.
Currently, some of the 100-plus seasonal sites have their own waiting lists, most of which are not very long. Theboard talked with Tersteeg about consolidating the individual lists into one, which would simplify the process of accommodating requests and phasing in the Master Plan.
Tersteeg said he did not want any of the seasonal guests to feel the park did not want them or was trying to get rid of them. Todd Miller concurred. “I want to avoid a situation where they feel jilted,” he said. He believed the park should stick to its Master Plan, however. “Our plan has to take precedent,” he said. “Too much went into it.”
Solar power
Walt Mianowski asked Bill Lenz, the city council representative on the park board, why the city council did not inform the park board that the council agreed to participate in a grant proposal for solar power panels to be installed at Gunflint Hills Golf Course. Lenz said the council had to make a decision the same day they heard about the grant and told the board what he knew about the project.
The specific location of the panels has not been determined, but electricity generated by them would be sold by the city to Arrowhead Electric, which provides power to the golf course.
The board wondered who would have the authority to make decisions on the design and installation of the solar panels and in general, what kinds of projects should fall under the park board’s purview rather than the city council’s. Lenz said he would find out who has the authority to make decisions about the solar panels.
Tersteeg said that the size and final cost of the solar-powered hot water heaters in one of the bathhouses would not be known until the amount of hot water usage is monitored this summer. A grant for $12,500 will cover much of the cost, although up to $2,500 more may be needed. An interactive educational display will be installed outside the bathhouse per the grant agreement. The board will be consulted on the design of the display.
This is a cost-effective fix for a lack of hot water at that location, Tersteeg said. An extra electric hot water heater would cost $4,000-5,000 and would not lower the electrical bill like the solar-powered one will.
Lifeguard classes
Eleven people are taking a lifeguard class offered at the Grand Marais Municipal Pool, bringing in $1,650 in fees minus the cost of materials, Head Lifeguard Charles Christiansen reported. He expects none of them to be working at the pool, however. Two are on staff at Adventurous Christians, two are from Grand Portage, three are from Silver Bay, and four are from the Cooperation Station. Christiansen is the only lifeguard instructor between here and Duluth.
Summer pool hours will begin Saturday, June 5. Adults swim hours will be 7-11 a.m. Monday through Friday, and open swim hours will be noon to 8:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and noon to 9:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Summer swim lessons will begin June 14 and will include levels one through four.
Summer special events
Park Manager Dave Tersteeg told the board about some of the events and programs that are scheduled for city parks this summer. A naturalist program entitled Becoming a Boundary Waters Family,
sponsored by the Gunflint Trail Historical Society, U.S. Forest Service, and Grand Marais Recreation Area, will take place Thursdays at 7 p.m. June 26 through August 24 in the recreation hall. Another naturalist program sponsored by the Grand Marais Area Tourism Association will be offered Tuesday evenings from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the outdoor pavilion. The Grand Marais Art Colony will offer family-friendly art-in-the-park programs throughout the summer. Special features in Bear Tree and Harbor parks include music by Michael Monroe, bagpipers, an art fair, and the Dragon Boat festival.
The board discussed with Tersteeg which events requiring a permit should be discussed with them before Tersteeg approves them. “We don’t need to be micromanaging,” Todd Miller said. Tersteeg will keep the board informed as permits are issued and will bring to the board permits that are refused as well as bigger events and new events before they are approved.
The board talked with Tersteeg about trying to work with Dragon Boat organizers on changing the course from an east-west orientation to a north-south orientation to eliminate the need for staff to spend two days moving buoys and arranging for boats to be relocated. Bill Lenz suggested that the park charge the festival for the time the staff spends on moving buoys if they really don’t want to change the course.
Low water level
The Lake Superior water level is low, Tersteeg reported. The depth at the fuel dock is six to seven feet lower than last year. “It looks pretty shallow,” Tersteeg said. Two or three years ago the water was a foot lower than this, he said, and that was a problem.
Community garden
Groundbreaking for the community garden in the rec park will be Monday, May 10. The garden will be between the garage below the pool and the rec building. A meeting to discuss how the project will work and who will get plots will be held Thursday, May 20 at 6:30 p.m. in the rec hall. Tersteeg said he is sending out postcards to returning guests so they will know about the possibility of getting a plot.
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