Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
The Ontonagon Village Council discusses business at a recent meeting. Clockwise from left are members John Hamm and Kenny Waldrop, village manager Joe Erickson, and council members Donald Chastan, Elmer Marks Jr. and Mike Mogan. Members Tony Smydra and Bruce Seid are missing.
ONTONAGON - Instead of Ontonagon being at the end of the trail, village manager Joe Erickson wants it to be a place to start vacations and obtain jobs.
The village and its council are taking a two-pronged approach to realizing that goal. One of the prongs is providing more recreational opportunities and the other is encouraging more businesses to move into the area.
Ontonagon is nearing approval for a Michigan Natural Resources grant to provide a paddle craft and kayak site on Rose Island, adjacent to the downtown area. The site would include a locker type area for safekeeping of kayaks, a pavilion, bathroom facilities and picnic area. The Michigan House of Representatives has approved a grant for $46,300 for the work and the paddle craft landing.
To make access to the island more enjoyable, the village also has plans to improve the street to the island, including a paved parking and landing area, along with boardwalk and pathway lighting.
The capital improvement plan of the village recreation committee also includes developing an open recreational park at the former E&LS rail yard. The "wish list" of the village also dabs into the possibility of moving the present Paddy's Creek bridge to provide a walking route across the slough from the island to the downtown area.
One of the prime projects for the village is updating lighting at the Ontonagon Recreation Facility and in the business area of River Street.
Erickson hopes to get a Passport Grant for lighting, which would decrease the cost of electrical usage, while providing an even better illumination for the skating area.
The same thinking is also under way with the council and manager for changing the light configuration on River Street. Erickson said the proposal will probably include removing four of the 10 lights on each block. The same lights have not been lit for the past two to three years, Erickson pointed out. He expects the middle light on each block would be larger. The eight removed lights would be relocated to the area of James K. Paul Park and the Ontonagon Township Community building, the site of the Theater of the Performing Arts.
The other prong, business development, is more difficult, but the village council has plans for that, as well. The council is applying for a grant for sewer and wastewater improvements. It hopes to receive up to $50,000 for improvements to the system.
One of the most important items for industrial development is dredging of the Ontonagon Harbor. Erickson was pleased dredging is on the Corps of Engineers' budget proposal to the President. The dredging, he added, is "essential" to development of the harbor.
In the months ahead, the council hopes to work with the owner of the former paper mill site to discuss possible development opportunities.
Erickson pointed to the recent sale of the Renaissance building to a group of welders with contracts across the country. The company now employs nine people, with hopes to increase the number in the near future.
He said Oldenburg Inc., which owns the Ontonagon shipyard, hopes to open the small finish shop building on the site. "With the harbor, forests, recreation opportunities, a willing workforce and a council which looks ahead, we have great potential for development here," he said.
