Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Bicyclists pass the Iron Belle Trail sign in Ironwood's Depot Park on Tuesday. New signs are going to be set up on the trail within the city of Ironwood to reduce the risk of accidents.
By ZACHARY MARANO
Ironwood - The Ironwood Parks and Recreation Committee met with members of the Gogebic Conservation District on Monday to learn more about the conservation district's services and to request its assistance in developing a forest management plan for the city.
Director of Community Development Tom Bergman said that while working with U.S. Forest Service botanist Ian Shackleford about volunteer-coordinated invasive species removal at the Mt. Zion Ski Hill area, Shackleford emphasized the importance of having a forest management plan.
Max Ramsey of the Gogebic Conservation District, who attended the meeting, said that the conservation district could point the Parks and Recreation Committee in the right direction and said they would work with them in the future.
"Our three priorities are Mt. Zion, Norrie Park along the boardwalk and Miners (Memorial Heritage) Park - especially Mt. Zion," committee member Tom Kangas said to Ramsey.
At the city commission's goal-setting work sessions for the 2021-2022 fiscal year, one of the goals they agreed upon was to improve signage along the Iron Belle Trail. City commissioner Jim Mildren said there are no stop signs for motorists crossing the trail, leading to some near collisions with foot traffic and bicyclists.
On Monday, Bergman said that the locations for new stop signs at intersections with the trail have been marked and they just need to coordinate with other departments to set them up. He said that this is one of the projects he will work on with Scott Erickson before the city manager steps down on June 6.
Bergman also provided the committee with an update on the Trust Fund grant application the city submitted to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources for the development of a one-mile lighted ski trail in Miners Memorial Heritage Park.
Bergman said that he received some initial feedback from DNR staff on the application and they confirmed that the application was properly completed. Bergman said that he was "cautiously optimistic" about the project getting funded. If the application is approved, the lighted ski trail project would start in 2024.
Bergman also reported that the city is preparing to request bids for the planned Curry Park and Norrie Park upgrades. He said that the sites slated for upgrades will be closed starting Sept. 15.
