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The Cook County Farm and Craft Market is back again for the summer. Artists of all stripes—painters, potters, jewelers, chain saw artists, crafters and musicians will be in the parking lot next to the Hub (senior center) downtown Grand Marais every Saturday through the summer. Staff photo Brian Larsen
Grand Marais Park Board members met Tuesday, June 7, and briskly discussed a broad agenda.
Grand Marais Parks and Rec Director David Tersteeg stated business at the municipal campground for May “was strong” despite being cold and wet, adding a lot of firewood was sold to campers.
Relative to last year, business is up at the rec park, noted Tersteeg. And based on reservations, business overall could be up for the year, but it was too early to tell because cancellations are also up. Tersteeg noted fuel prices and weather had played the biggest reason for cancellations.
New park board member Kay Costello asked about the park’s cancelation policy. Dave said a $40 reservation fee is required and if a camper gives more than two weeks cancellation notice they get $30 back. If the cancellation is shorter than two weeks, the park keeps more of the reservation fee.
Most of the time it isn’t hard to fill a cancellation, but Dave said rising fuel costs might put a damper on people pulling big campers to Grand Marais this summer, but for now he’s taking a “wait and see” attitude.
However, he added, the seasonal campers are here, and after a two-year hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Canadians have returned to the park, which is nice to see.
Park office hours
Office hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on most days, but they will be extended to 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. starting June 15 for the summer. With high school out, the park is fully staffed with workers, and Tersteeg said he has a good crew for the summer.
Parkside Public Water Access
Work on the Parkside public water access has begun, with KGM contractors back to complete phase 2 of the project. The goal is to finish the majority of the work by August 31 and finish the job by September 29.
Throughout the summer, KGM will work on erosion and siltation control measures, install temporary sheet piling for dewatering the launch ramp basin, build the forms and pour the concrete boat launch ramp, and make non-motorized dock space, sidewalks, stormwater, and aquatic invasive species provisions, pave the parking lot and plant some trees and perform landscaping. During construction, the area will be off-limits to the public.
Overlook/ Landing project
Only one bid was received to build the Overlook/Landing project, which is located next to North House Folk School. At $515,000, the bid was far over the budgeted $300,000. As a result, the Grand Marais City council passed a motion on May 25th to reject the offer and put a pause on the project, said Craig Schulte, the city council liaison to the park board.
The council sent the project back to the park board for further discussion. Tersteeg said he talked with the city’s project lead, CJ Fernandez, about making some modifications to the development, and CJ offered several ideas to reduce the price. For example, CJ suggested, “A different bid strategy that separates distinct project pieces, including a different timing to request bids when contractors aren’t so busy/scarce, and paring down some features to save costs.”
CJ’s strategy might also entice local contractors to bid if the project was separated out and scaled down.
Park Board Chair Stephen Aldrige asked Tersteeg for suggestions, and Tersteeg replied that the board could look at simplifying the project and ask contractors to bid in the fall for the following spring. Originally ten firms asked for bid packages, but only one Twin Cities company submitted a very high bid that was rejected by the city council. The proposals were due in May, and it was speculated that many contractors were already booked for the summer. And, in that one bid, said Tersteeg, the highest cost was for the concrete work, not the artwork.
After more discussion, the park board’s general consensus was that Tersteeg should pursue strategies to lower the price and keep the project going forward, bidding it out in the fall with a spring date to start construction if the right bid is offered.
Busking in Harbor Park
The park board received and approved several more special event applications by musicians who want to play music at Harbor Park this summer.
Applications received and approved were from Marth Marnocha, John Gruber, Boyd Blomberg, and Todd Miller.
Miller submitted an application for the Stars of the North Music Festival. The festival will be held on July 29 and 30 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. in Harbor Park and will feature a large variety of local bands and musicians. The Starz of the North festival is organized and conducted by the Grand Marais Music Collaborative, of which Miller is the Board Chair.
Also approved was a special event application for the Grand Marais Lion’s Club to shoot off fireworks on the beach south of the Pavillion on Saturday, August 6, for the Fisherman’s Picnic.
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