Head Lifeguard Charles Christiansen reported that the pool had 2,000 visitors in February, significantly more than the 1,612 visitors of last February.
Kayla Gotchie’s water fitness class has 42 regular attendees with about eight students attending each class. By request, she has added classes on Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings.
Income from the program is covering costs. “It exceeded our expectations,” Park Manager Dave Tersteeg told the park board. “It’s a fun new program.”
“Everything’s running pretty well,” Christiansen said of the pool facility. “The building’s still standing!” They have received a lot of comments on how bright the new wood-paneled wall is since it was replaced after October’s storm damage.
Capital improvements
While upgrading about 20 sites remains the No. 1 capital improvement priority for 2011, a second project is in the works to create plans for a “Community Connections” walking corridor from the highway into the park in the northeast corner adjacent to North House Folk School.
The board passed a motion authorizing Tersteeg to create a request for proposals to go out to potential consultants. A consultant would help the board come up with several design options that would be presented at public meetings likely to take place over the summer.
Ideally, Tersteeg said, the work could begin in the fall and be completed by next spring.
Bike rack plans
The board discussed possible locations for bike racks on city park property in downtown Grand Marais. Kristin DeArruda-Wharton would be submitting a grant application for numerous bike racks on behalf of the Statewide Health Improvement Program to make biking into town more convenient.
The expected funding would not be enough to commission artists to make sculptures to serve dual roles as bike racks and public art. Other bike rack locations on commercial properties are being considered as well.
The board passed a motion approving three possible city park locations for the bike racks: on the harbor across from Harbor Inn, across from the Lake Superior Trading Post, and in Boulder Park on the way to the Coast Guard station.
DNR boat launch project
Tersteeg reported that he had met with DNR representatives to discuss improving the boat ramp and parking area in the southwest corner of the harbor.
“We’re seeking to partner,” Tersteeg said. They drew up a draft partnership agreement, and Kevin Johnson of the DNR’s Parks and Trails Division agreed to draw up some preliminary plans. “I really gave a message to not overly develop the area,” Tersteeg said. The area would be ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)- compliant, but Tersteeg said it would not include pavement or a lot of lighting. The new ramp would accommodate larger boats than the current one does.
The park was working with the DNR on this project several years ago, but the project was tabled when the park’s Master Plan was being created.
Summer season looking good
“Summer bookings are really strong compared to last summer,” Tersteeg told the board. After attending an RV show in Minneapolis in February, the staff received a lot of phone calls. Some space is still available in the marina and mooring field.
Park staff are working on redesigning the park’s website. One issue is what exactly to call it, because it is referred to by a variety of monikers, including Grand Marais Recreation Area, Grand Marais RV Park and Campground, and Grand Marais Municipal Campground and Marina.
The web search is more important now than the actual website address, Tracy Benson said. The park is under a fiveyear agreement to be called the Grand Marais Recreation Area on its website, but staff answers the phone “Grand Marais Campground and Marina.” Everyone at the meeting liked that name.
North House parking approved
The board gave the okay for North House Folk School to use parking spaces by the marina next fall during re-construction of the outdoor commons area at North House. It is not expected to interfere with any park activities at that time of year.
Tersteeg said he had recently discussed the plan at Chuck’s Barbershop in downtown Grand Marais. There were no objections, he said, so the project can move forward! The park board laughed.
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