Airport Park project moves ahead

IRONWOOD TOWNSHIP — The Ironwood Township Board of Trustees heard an update about the Airport Park project Monday.

According to supervisor Alan Baron, the next step is to transfer dirt to level off an area for playground equipment.

The equipment has been ordered and should be in by the end of the month, treasurer Jyl Renee Olson-DeRosso said.

“Our goal is to have it so people can use it this year,” Olson-DeRosso said. “Hopefully, we’ll have a late fall.”

Installing the playground equipment is the last thing to be completed at the park, with other features such as a pavilion, walking-biking path and updated soccer fields finished earlier this year.

Olson-DeRosso also updated the board on community events that have taken place at the park and throughout the township, including farmer’s markets, a Labor Day walk and township-wide clean-up day and rummage sales.

“It’s great to see so much community involvement,” she said.

Other business

Citizens addressed issues on Hannu Road involving a business running dump trucks. According to the residents who spoke under public comment, trucks have been traveling at excessive speeds at all hours. One resident claimed they begin traveling as early as 2:30 a.m.

Another concern with the business included the number of employee vehicles traveling up and down the roads.

The board informed the residents to present their complaints to the Ironwood Township Planning Commission and zoning administrator Burch Saari during the committee’s next meeting, proposing possible limits to the hours of operation or having the trucks rerouted onto Airport Road.

The committee’s next meeting is Sept. 19 at 6 p.m. at the township offices.

Also during the public comment, residents questioned if something was going to be done to the hill on Lake Road near the Hannu Road intersection. Baron said that would have to be discussed with the Gogebic County Road Commission to see if something can be done, including signage or even working at lowering the hill to prevent any vehicle accidents.

The board discussed talking to road commissioner Darren Pionk and the Michigan Department of Transportation to see what options there are.