The long winter seems to be extending itself into summer, with a lot of cold, rainy days. At the July 2, 2013 meeting of the Grand Marais Park Board, Chairperson Walt Mianowski observed that even when he was freezing, he was seeing tourists walking around in short—with jackets on. Despite the cold, town has been full, he said.
Grand Marais Campground reservations for July and August are up about 10 percent over last year, Park Manager Dave Tersteeg reported. Income from the campground— $274,260 through June—is on par with last year’s income.
After a late opening—Memorial Day weekend—and winter damage to the greens, Gunflint Hills Golf Course is up and running. Course manager Mike Kunshier said the greens are “coming along,” and Chair Mianowski said, “The course looks good.” Coupons are available to campground guests.
This summer’s cool rainy weather seems to be bringing in more people to the municipal pool from the campground, Head Lifeguard Charles Christiansen said. Pool income is up 14 percent from last year and is “about even” with 2011, which was the pool’s highest income year.
“Monday and Tuesday nights are really busy with the log rollers,” Christiansen said. The inland lakes are too cold to practice on, he said. “All the tourist kids like to watch it, too.” He said the tourist kids often try it themselves as well.
Park Manager Dave Tersteeg said participation in water fitness classes has dropped. Christiansen has been overseeing the classes over the summer while instructor Chelsea Pusc is busy attending to her store in downtown Grand Marais, the Gunflint Mercantile. Christiansen said night classes slow down in the summer, but day classes pick up. The morning class still has 6-12 attendees, he said.
All the city’s marina boat slips have been rented for the summer. Manager Tersteeg is still working on purchasing equipment from a private mooring out in the harbor. It will cost a lot less than buying equipment for a new one, he said. The park has a small waiting list for moorings, he said, but by this time in the summer, most people on the waiting list no longer have a boat.
The solar hot water panels at the bathhouse in the southwest corner of the campground have saved about 10,300 kilowatt hours of electricity and about $1,300 in electricity costs after two years of use. The panels have also reduced carbon dioxide emissions by about 11.9 tons.
“The system has had a significant impact on the number of ‘no hot water’ complaints, with the only complaints occurring on foggy days,” reported Don Grant of the Cook County Local Energy Project, which made the $20,000 project possible.
Park Manager Tersteeg recommended that they install solar hot water panels on all the bathhouses whenever they redo them.
The Community Connection bridge in the northeast corner of the park near North House Folk School is almost completed. Tersteeg said he was trying to save money by having the staff put the roofing material on, but they have been a little understaffed to get it done yet.
The lower part of the walkway on either side of the bridge has been paved. Tersteeg said he plans to meet with a landscape architect this fall to finalize plans for the upper portion, which is in the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) right of way. Plans need to be approved by MnDOT before the work can be done.
The park did not get a U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service grant for the project that Cook County Soil & Water Conservation District staff submitted on its behalf.
The project is under budget by about $4,000 at this point. The work done by Edwin E. Thoreson Inc. cost $28,000. “We saved money by going local,” Tersteeg said.” Thirty-six thousand dollars has been spent so far. Board member Sally Berg said this is way less than the engineer’s original estimate had been.
Event permits have been approved for the Dragon Boat Festival and Fisherman’s Picnic. Tersteeg said the park donates about $1,200 in services to the two events, which keep park staff quite busy for about 10 days. Storm sewer safety
City councilor and park board member Bill Lenz said he checked out the storm sewer opening at the northwest corner of Third Street and First Avenue West (outside Betsy Bowen’s studio). A safety concern had been raised because the opening was so large. Lenz said he talked to City Administrator Mike Roth, who told him all the new sewers in town had been built that way according to engineering specifications.
The board also discussed the storm sewer that opens into Bear Tree Park. The opening is large so that it can be cleaned out when it gets clogged.
Leave a Reply