While the day care concept isn’t being discussed anymore, there are still plans in the works to expand the Cook County Community Center. One currently being looked at would add approximately 3,600 square feet to the center.
According to the latest concept drawing from Duluth architect Tim Meyer, the added space would include a 1,286 square foot social room, 715 square foot multi-purpose room, 602 square foot commercial kitchen, two 90 square foot men’s and women’s locker rooms for the curling club, 387 square foot conference room, 307 square foot office for the current director Diane Booth (and the future director) and nine bathroom stalls in the 390 square foot women’s restroom and five bathroom stalls in the 290 square foot men’s bathroom. There is also space for two storage rooms, a vestibule, small IT (computer network) room for the county and two mechanical rooms.
Some 1,541 square feet is dedicated to hallways in the drawing.
None of this is set in stone but are only ideas being discussed by the community center board. The building needs repairs and upgrading, so something will have to be done in the near future to fix those problems.
The 19-acre Cook County Community Center recreation area includes a skateboard park, tennis courts, baseball/softball diamond, horse area/dog park, playground skating rink and hockey rink, curling facility, commercial kitchen (which would be modernized and expanded in the current concept), conference and social rooms which would also be expanded, and the 4H log cabin.
General Motors recently announced it is going to end building gasoline and diesel engines and go to an all-electric, zero emissions future.
GM, who sold 10 million cars, pickups, and SUVs last year, will add two fully all-electric models next year while working towards producing 18 more models by 2023.
Other automotive companies are announcing similar plans. They include Volvo, Aston Martin, and Jaguar Land Rover.
A mix of fuel cells and high-performance batteries will power GM’s all-electric models. No word on when the company will go fully electric, but globally France, Great Britain, Norway and the Netherlands have announced that in the coming decades they will ban the sale of gas and diesel vehicles. China and India also say they will do the same. Can you say goodbye to the gasoline/diesel engine?
The last few months quite a few area businesses have sold, making this one of the most significant transitions to new owners in years.
Business turnovers
. Early this summer Cascade Lodge was sold, coming off the market after being put up for sale about two years ago.
. In the spring, Windigo Lodge, located mid-trail on the Gunflint, was purchased by Stacy Palmer and Brian Kippy Kuboy who have since renamed it, Poplar Hauss. Windigo was on the market for almost a decade.
. The Outpost Motel in Colvill sold in July, the same month that the Mangy Moose changed hands in Grand Marais.
. The Harbor Light Supper Club was another business that has been idled for several years. The new owners have painted the building and added—or will add—tent camping sites in the lot adjacent the parking lot west of the premises.
. In Tofte, the Cliff Dweller hotel along Highway 61 was also sold.
. Jim Thompson sold the T-Shirt Shop to Mike Swindlehurst and Karen Futterer at the end of July.
. Licari & Larsen, who bought George Maruska’s tax preparation business last year, purchased all of George Maruska’s bookkeeping business at this end of July.
. And Odin Jorgenson is the new owner of the Tire & Auto Lodge in Grand Marais. Not long ago Jorgenson completed the purchase of the shop from Craig Horak. Congratulations to all of the new business owners.
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