One topic that came up during last summer’s debates during creation of the Grand Marais Recreation Area Master Plan was a desire for more public use of the rec park. How to facilitate this was one topic discussed by the park board January 5, 2010.
The park board adopted goals and policies for the recreation area last March which state that “the recreation park should support a variety of activities” and that “scheduled events, indoors and out, summer and winter, become common and a source of community identity.” To help facilitate that, Park Board Manager Dave Tersteeg has proposed that the park board develop a set of special event rates and policies.
In a December 29 memo to the park board, Tersteeg wrote, “As an active member of the local tourist economy, the rec park can do much in the way of providing space for group events, both large and small. Several agencies (Grand Marais Area Tourism Association, Cook County Events and Visitors’ Bureau) have a mission to organize and promote events, and we have the space. Events like the WTIP “Radio Waves” music festival are a natural fit with the park, and we hope to refine our ability to host such events.”
Along with the memo, Tersteeg proposed a special event application form that would outline the specific amenities needed for an event, such as garbage cans, picnic tables, electrical or water connections, and porta-potties. He told the board on January 5 that the form would make setting prices for large events easier. One thing the board could consider, he said, is whether non-profit organizations would be charged less than others to use the park.
Park board members Todd Miller and Robin DuChien supported charging a base fee plus extra for some of the amenities.
Another part of an event policy could be whether “subletting” campsites would be allowed. In recent years, North House Folk School has booked campsites for Winterer’s Gathering visitors who request them. In 2008, North House booked over 20 campers. The park received about $600, its normal price for those sites, but North House charged campers a booking fee and got about $200- 300 as well, Tersteeg said. The 2008 park board did not like campers being charged more than the regular rate, so North House did not include a booking fee in 2009.
Being able to pay North House for the whole weekend instead of having to call separately for camping reservations is nice for the campers, Tersteeg said. The campsites are otherwise unused in November.
Miller said subletting might not be the best way to book such events because the park does not establish an understanding of its policies directly with the campground guest. Park board member Paul Anderson agreed, saying the park already has a policy against subletting.
Normally, a person planning to attend a convention would have to make his or her own lodging arrangements separate from the conference registration, Walt Mianowski said.
“Ultimately,” Tersteeg wrote in his memo, “I feel we want event pricing and policy that encourages the most usage of the park, by the widest spectrum of user groups, throughout the entire calendar year.”
The board will continue to discuss its special event policy at future meetings.
Openings in mooring field
Two moorings vacated by Nelson Stone and the late Norm Schroeder, respectively, have reverted back to the park, Tersteeg reported. They are in crowded areas, however, and he suggested that the board consider other locations as long as they stay out of the Army Corps of Engineers’ commercial channel. He recommended adding buoys to the western edge of the field, but Todd Miller said that’s a wavy area.
Mooring fields often feel crowded, Miller said. “You never feel like you have enough room.”
The board discussed the scope of the moorings, which is how many feet of chain are allowed per foot of water depth. One boat is on an 8-1 scope and is getting into others’ areas. The park sent a letter to this boater, Tersteeg said, but doesn’t have a policy forbidding it.
“Everyone has a different opinion on what’s crowded and what’s not,” Miller said. Europeans probably like to be closer, he said. Americans like their space.
Tersteeg said he would look at prices for new buoys for the moorings that now belong to the park. Miller suggested that the park board consider creating a policy on scope.
Nineteen people are on a mooring waiting list, with about half actually ready to put their boats in the water, Tersteeg said.
Themarina de-icers seem to be working well, Tersteeg indicated. Dockside has expressed interest in using the space, and he will discuss it with the yacht club as well.
Park board member needed
The board position vacated by Lindsay Mielke is still open, and no applications had been received in the city office by the January 5 meeting.
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