Greg Wright, executive director of the North House Folk School, updated the Grand Marais City Council on North House activities on Wednesday, Feb. 9. Prior to that, Wright discussed the summer’s folk school events with the Grand Marais Park Board. (L-R) Walt Mianowski, Todd Miller, new Park Board Member Tracy Benson, Parks Department Manager Dave Tersteeg, and Wright look at the model of the North House grounds.
When you go to the Grand Marais Municipal Pool to go swimming, you might want to bring your pocketbook—and swim a few extra laps. On Tuesday, February 1, 2011, the park board gave Girl Scout leader Victoria Shaw the go-ahead to bring her troop to the pool to sell cookies through February 27.
They have a young troop, Shaw explained, and she did not want them to be trouncing around snow banks dodging traffic.
Board member Todd Miller wondered if approving the request would set a precedent they would not want to have to deal with. Bill Lenz preferred to simply consider requests as they came in. The board unanimously approved the request.
New aquatics exercise class
Head Lifeguard Charles Christiansen told the board about water fitness classes being taught by Kayla Gotchie. It is being offered at numerous times throughout the week—a total of 20 classes a month—and is individualized to the fitness level of each participant.
Participants can purchase 30-day water fitness cards at a cost of $30 for nonmembers and $20 for members. A daily drop-in rate is also available at $4 a session for nonmembers (which includes recreational pool use after each class) and $3 for members.
Ten 30-day cards must be sold by the end of February and must be maintained on a monthly basis for the program to go forward. “Hopefully, if those numbers stay up, we’ll have a real good exercise program,” Christiansen said.
After being closed for two months upon sustaining damage from a late October storm, the pool reopened in January. To celebrate, a grand re-opening celebration was held January 19. “That went over really well,” Christiansen said. Prizes were given out, and one lucky family won a six-month membership.
“The water’s warm,” Parks Department Manager Dave Tersteeg said. “The boiler’s working. The general atmosphere over there is really positive.”
Bike racks
Kristin DeArruda-Wharton of the grantfunded Statewide Health Improvement Program (SHIP) approached the board for its input on the possibility of accessing grant funding to bring bicycle racks to downtown Grand Marais. She coordinates the Community-Wide Active Living Committee (C-WALC) that is addressing ways to encourage fitness and pedestrian safety throughout the community.
DeArruda-Wharton said that the Cook County Visitors Bureau has been hearing from both visitors and businesses that bike racks will be important when the Gitche Gumee Bike Trail along Highway 61 reaches Grand Marais.
Todd Miller affirmed the committee’s concern over pedestrian safety. “Winter walking here is a nightmare,” he said.
The board discussed various places bike racks could be placed, including city parks and businesses. DeArruda-Wharton said the committee knows they can’t clog up sidewalks or replace car parking spots. A grant could be written without having specific locations delineated yet.
Office Manager Samantha Williams suggested they consider commissioning bike racks that are also pieces of art like the one by Don Hammer at Cook County Higher Education.
Grant money is available through June for “active living” projects, DeArruda-Wharton said. She is working on seven grants right now for projects including speed bumps on the school parking lot and electronic speed signs like the one on Highway 61 just west of downtown Grand Marais.
DeArruda-Wharton agreed to work with Tersteeg on possible bike rack locations and come back to the board in March.
2011 priorities
The board agreed on its capital improvement priorities for 2011. Not all the projects may be completed, but the list is used to plan the summer season. Some of the items can be “chipped away at” with the park’s repair and maintenance budget, Tersteeg said. The priorities, in order, are as follows:
Upgrade 10-20 sites to include water, sewer, and adequate power, and improved pads.
Plan and design a “Community Connection” pedestrian entry in the northeast corner of the park.
Develop a six-acre municipal marina basin concept map.
Plan and design a new park office/bath house complex with a better turnaround area.
Upgrade the public-access ramp and boat trailer parking in the southwest corner of the harbor.
Improve the playground by the recreation hall and install toddler swings. “There’s not a lot going on over there for the toddler set,” Tersteeg said.
Todd Miller said he was concerned that efforts to create a Safe Harbor were dying away and he hoped the park board would continue to work on it. “Some people want to die, I’m sure,” he said, “but a lot of people don’t. …I’m concerned a lot of time has gone by.”
Bill Lenz, a city councilor, said the city council has tried to discuss this with the DNR but hasn’t gotten anywhere. “There isn’t any money,” he said. He said he would bring it up with the council again.
Great Lakes Cruising Club rally
Todd Miller, a member of the Great Lakes Cruising Club, said he proposed that the club have its annual rally in Grand Marais this summer, and the group wants to come. The event would be likely to draw about a dozen boats, Miller said, which would be around 35 to 40 feet and include both sailboats and motorboats.
Robin DuChien supported the invitation Miller had extended. “They have a lot of influence on the boating community,” she said, adding that the Grand Marais harbor currently has a “bad rep.”
Tersteeg was confident that the harbor could accommodate these visitors. They have accommodated everyone who has needed space over the last two years, Tersteeg said.
“It would be nice for the community to have something like that,” Walt Mianowski said.
“I view it as a goodwill mission,” Miller said. “They’re all very experienced and they’ve all been here before.”
A date has not been set, but Miller and Tersteeg will work on sending a letter of invitation.
Neighborly relations with North House
North House Folk School Executive Director Greg Wright updated the board on upcoming events and sought some help meeting extra parking needs later this year. The Unplugged weekend will include three nights of performance in September and Wright expects even more visitors than usual. The board agreed to let North House use the ball field parking lot for that event as well as parking spaces near the marina next fall when the asphalt parking lot between the two main buildings will be replaced with paving bricks.
Board size increases
New board member Tracy Benson was introduced. She offered her best credential for being on the board: “I’ve been Walt [Mianowski]’s neighbor for most of my life.”
“Welcome to the board,” Park Manager Dave Tersteeg said.
Benson’s appointment to the board brings the roster to six, one member short of a full board. “We need another lady!” Mianowski said.
Robin DuChien replied, “Beggars can’t be choosers!”
Good reputation for GM
Tersteeg said he and Office Manager Samantha Williams would be attending an RV/camping show the following week. Every time they go to shows, he said, people come up to them and tell them how much they love Grand Marais. He commented, “I get to live in everybody’s favorite town.”
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