Park board approves

With an April 4, 2023, snowstorm brewing just outside the windows of the city council room, Grand Marais Parks and Rec Director Dave Tersteeg addressed the Grand Marais Park Board and said the Rec Park and bathhouses were slated to open May 1, depending on the weather.

Tersteeg announced that the city council hired Global Specialties to build the Overlook Landing this summer. There is one more issue to settle, noted Tersteeg, and that is with the honorarium that will be paid to the Morrison family for the right to use George Morrison-themed artwork within the arbor and metal panels of the overlook.

“The Creative Economy Collective is assisting with this process,” said Tersteeg, adding, “We hope to have a memo with a recommended amount to review by the May meeting.”

Work will be done to improve the stormwater management pond located near the highway and 8th Avenue West. Crawford Excavating was the low bidder, and they will upgrade the pond’s infrastructure and install a system to control the water discharging from the pond. Crawford Excavating will also work to repair the small creek downstream of the pond. Tersteeg said the stream has a lot of sludge that needs to be removed, and some of the creek’s banks need repair.

Gunflint Hills Golf Course Superintendent Paul Jones appeared before the board via ZOOM. Jones said with the snow still falling, the golf course was “buried in the snow,” and the opening would probably happen sometime in May like last year. Jones said most of last year’s staff is returning, but the main clubhouse attendant is dealing with recuperating from a broken ankle and the job needs to be filled in the meantime.

The Best Ball tournament will be held on June 13, with the details still to be worked out. Stephen Aldrich asked if it would be a two-person or four-person event, and Jones replied that he didn’t know at this time. The person running the tournament comes from Silver Bay.

With the golf rates set for this coming season except for the discount to Grand Marais residents, Aldrich asked the board if they wanted to retain the 15 percent discount, and the board voted unanimously to keep it. However, “No one on the park board will receive the discount,” noted Aldrich.

Regarding workers returning to the park, Dave said he had been getting a good response, but he noted he still needed to find some more help for the park office and hire a “dedicated washroom custodian to keep the bathhouses clean.”

A March 23 meeting was held with Gabrielle Grinde, the project leader from HKGi, to discuss the 2023 master planning update for the park. Grinde left with background information about the park. Tersteeg said more historical documents, mapping data, and other relevant information will be shared with HKGi “as they prepare to have their first meeting with the full Park Board in May.”

Under Old Business, Dave shared a five-year financial summary across park operations: Campground, marina and golf course.

Over that half-decade, the campground has had a net gain of $3.5 million. On the other hand, the marina has shown a modest increase of $161,000, and the Gunflint Hills Golf Course has a net loss of $246,000.

The city has subsidized the golf course about $50,000 per year, said Tersteeg, but he added that Paul Jones had done a lot to upgrade and improve the course, which was a good asset for the town. He also noted that Superior National was upping its price to play this year, and Gunflint Hills might experience more business because of its affordability.