Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By TOM LAVENTURE
Ironwood — A shoreland restoration project to improve navigation on three miles of the Montreal River from Norrie Park is now in the final project agreement phases, according to reports at the Downtown Ironwood Development Authority meeting on Thursday.
Tom Bergman, director of community development for the city of Ironwood said, the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Board has granted final approval of the $150,500 proposed project to include $25,200 in city matching funds and an additional $14,000 in-kind obligation. The city has received the project agreement and the DNR final approval should come this summer.
If all goes as planned, the project could go out for bid in the winter, with construction starting in summer 2022, Bergman said. The project will include tree removal, boardwalk renovation, and the addition of a fishing dock and paved pathways for a kayak and canoe launch that will be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
“We’ve been getting a few questions from the public about the timing of the project,” Bergman said. “We have two years from the date we are approved and our goal always is to have it built by the next work building season.”
Tim Erickson, city community development specialist, reported that he completed the 2021 micro-grant program grant application to the Michigan Municipal League. The $5,000 grant would be used for the downtown historical signage project.
The city should know by August if the grant application is approved, he said.
Ivan Hellen, DIDA member and creator of the project to place signage of historic interest in the downtown to encourage people to walk the route and read them, said his outreach to the businesses owners where the signs would be placed has been positive.
“It was well received,” Hellen said.
During the public comment portion of the meeting, Michael Meyer, director of the Ironwood Area Chamber of Commerce, said that an hour-to-hour Festival Ironwood activity schedule is now posted on the chamber web page (ironwoodchamber.org). More of the regular events are returning this year than previously anticipated, he said.
There is a section on the web page with information on how to volunteer, he said. There is also entry information for participating in the Range Art Show and the classic automobile show.
The festival organizing committee will meet at the depot every Monday at 6:30 p.m. until the festival. About 70% of the depot exterior construction is completed and the equipment should be out of the way by the festival, he said.
The chamber is going to make a more concerted effort to encourage organizations and businesses to put their events on the felivelife.org online calendar, Meyer said. Felivelife.org is an essential community calendar and more outreach is needed to ensure all area events are posted to ensure the calendar becomes the regional point of reference, he said.
“We now have lots of events but there are also lots of events out there that I’m becoming aware of that people are not putting on the calendar,” Meyer said. “We have an amazing community calendar and it’s amazing how many people still are not aware of the calendar.”
In other business, DIDA approved:
- An amended fiscal budget to reflect removing the tax increment financing (TIF) district project to the 2022 budget.
- The Pocket Park maintenance contract with the Range Master Gardener Volunteer Association. The contract reimburses the gardening association for monthly expenditures such as flowers, plants, supplies and other items needed not to exceed $1,925 seasonally.