Gunflint Hills Golf Superintendent Mike Kunshier said proceeds from this August were down 4 percent from last August.
“We took in $99,954 this August compared to $104,532 last year. I think it’s weather related,” Kunshier told the Grand Marais Park Board at the September 1 meeting. “We had a couple of washouts, a couple of hot days when almost no one came and three cold days where play was slow.”
Sales inside the clubhouse have also fallen off, noted Kunsnhier, who attributed much of that to the weak Canadian dollar.
“The exchange rate has been hurting us. We’re not selling much merchandise to the Canadians who play our course. They used to buy clubs, clothes etc., but now I think they are buying those items more on line at home where their dollar is stronger.”
Currently league play-offs are under way, said Kunshier, adding that the annual “Golf Scramble” tournament would be held September 13.
“I heard there weren’t too many signing up for that tournament yet,” said Park Board Chair Walt Mianowski.
“Yes, that’s right, but that doesn’t mean anything. We have a lot of people sign up late,” Kunshier said.
At the end of his golf report Kunshier noted that when he began his job there were 44 older couples that played regularly, and today there are only two of those couples remaining. “On Sunday it wasn’t unusual to have the course filled with couples playing golf. That doesn’t happen anymore,” he said.
Public Park Access Project
City Councilor David Mills went over highlights of a meeting held with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the city concerning the proposed renovation of the public boat access located near the dog pound.
Mills said the DNR was on board with putting in a paved breakwall that people could walk on if the funds could be secured in the state’s next bonding bill. The breakwall and dock would be built large enough to accommodate boats as large as 38 feet long.
Should it be built, the new breakwall would replace the rubble wall that was installed in 1985. The DNR would like to see the current breakwall replaced by one that would better handle larger waves as part of its Safe Harbor initiative.
After discussing the components of the nearly $1 million project, Mills asked the park board to vote its approval and then forward that motion to the Grand Marais City Council where it must be approved before going to the legislature for support. Last year Minnesota House 3A legislators Senator Tom Bakk (DFL) and the late Representative David Dill (DFL) expressed willingness to craft and introduce a bill for the public park access project.
Park Board members Reid Dusheck, Walt Mianowski, David Mills, Sally Berg, and Kaye Tavernier were unanimous in their support of the motion.
Campground
The campground for August was “very busy,” said Samantha Wallner, Grand Marais Rec Park secretary who gave the report for Parks Manager Dave Tersteeg who was away on vacation.
“I have never had to say sorry so many times to people who asked if we had a spot open,” Wallner said.
Daily fees brought in $14,000 more this August than the previous August, said Wallner.
Fuel sales at the marina were also up $1,000 over last year’s August and all of the buoys were filled this year, reported Wallner.
Adopt a beach
On Saturday, September 26 there will be a “Beach Sweep” clean up day and anyone wishing can come and help clean up the town’s large beach area.
Volunteers are encouraged to adopt a certain segment of beach and join in the community event to help with this great cause.
At the end of the day the refuse will be weighed and recorded and the total will be sent to the Great Lakes Aquarium. Sally Berg said she helped last year and she encouraged her fellow park board members to join her this year.
For the past 16 years the Great Lakes Aquarium has served as the state coordinator for the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup event.
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