The Grand Marais Campground and Marina was named one of five “supercampgrounds” in the June 2013 edition of Midwest Living magazine.
“If you’re looking to blend fine dining, great shopping and a quiet Lake Superior shore, you‘ll find it here along the famed North Shore,” the article states. “With 300 total sites, this city campground has pull-through spots with water, electric and sewer hookups, while quaint tent sites snuggle up to the cobblestone Lake Superior shoreline. What we love: Campers can walk three blocks into downtown for some of the best cuisine on the North Shore, then return to campsites that—at $33—cost less than dinner for two.”
Park Manager Dave Tersteeg told the Park Board on May 7, 2013 that he expects the recognition to bring in business. “Our reservations are very strong, very strong indeed,” he said of business so far this year. “Let’s hope our weather holds and fuel prices stay reasonable.”
The weather has taken its toll on the Gunflint Hills Golf Course. Mike Kunshier reported that four of the greens have been severely damaged and will not be playable for a while. The holes will be moved off the greens in the meantime.
Kunshier said he has been scraping snow off the ice on the greens and attributed sponginess on the greens to rain in the wintertime, repeated melting and freezing, and snow lingering much longer than usual. He said he hasn’t seen conditions like this in the last 35 years.
If good weather prevails, Kunshier said, the course could be open by Memorial Day weekend. The board discussed the possibility of offering some free golf before the official opening so people could try out the course, and winter’s effect on it, for themselves.
“You can’t fight Mama Nature!” Board Chair Walt Mianowski said.
“This makes up for last spring,” said Tersteeg, referring to the early, mild spring of 2012.
Campers are returning for the summer, Tersteeg reported. Most full-hookup RV sites are full for July. Some spots are still available the last two weeks in August. Tersteeg said he would be working on getting more tenters into the park this year.
The staff has been getting the marina ready for boat traffic. They are a bit behind because of the late spring but the marina is open for use.
Beavers have been sighted in the harbor again. Tersteeg expressed concern over the possibility that they would gnaw trees down in Harbor Park. Park board member Paul Anderson said he would be willing to live trap and relocate any beavers that proved pesky.
Bike borrowing program
Tersteeg reported that the Active Living Steering Committee had been talking about starting a bicycle-borrowing program in Grand Marais similar to what some cities have been doing. Programs such as these have bikes painted a distinctive color unique to the program. People can pick up a bike at one bike rack, ride it to another bike rack, and leave it for someone else to use.
The Law Enforcement Center has about 30 unclaimed bikes right now, Tersteeg said, and Superior North Outdoor Center (the bike shop) would be willing to paint and rehabilitate them for this use if the county donated them to the cause.
The park board liked this idea and suggested having the bikes painted yellow and blue and having the city logo attached to them if the program gets rolling.
Mutt mitts
Park board member Tracy Benson has been talking to business owners about contributing to the cost of the dog waste bags and receptacles that are located throughout town in exchange for having their business logos on the bags or receptacles.
Benson said business owners are not very interested in having their business logos on waste bags, but she thinks they might be interested in having them on the receptacles. She has been identifying areas where business owners think receptacles should be added.
The receptacles could be “anchored,” Benson said, so that people with Smartphones could identify where they were located.
Community Connection
The storm water system installed in the new Community Connection walkway leading from Highway 61 into the east end of the campground has been working well, Tersteeg said.
Tersteeg reported that work on the project was progressing, with the bridge going up soon and trees to be planted before summer. The paving will be done in June. Pool
The pool has brought in $14,598 so far this year, over 9 percent more than the year-to-date figure last year. April 2013 brought 251 more local residents than April 2012. The number of visitors from outside the county was down, with 85 this April compared to 130 last April.
Tersteeg said a lot of people have been asking him how much it will cost to use the new YMCA pool—a question he cannot answer.
The pool will start opening on Sundays again over Memorial Day weekend May 25-27. May 17 will be the last Friday dollar night until fall. The full summer schedule will begin June 1.
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