Spring-Like Conditions in February
As the calendar flipped over to February, we found ourselves in spring-like weather conditions in the Keweenaw. The snow cover here in Chassell took quite a hit and we had green patches in the yard and no snow on the roof of the house by late in the week. The ice fishermen had even pulled their shacks from the lake by Monday and were back to using tents.
We chose not to ski in the marginal conditions and put in swims at MTU’s SDC on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I covered over 2,000 yards on each of those swims and also worked in a run on Wednesday of 4.25 miles on the clear shoulders of US 41.
On Monday afternoon Mat Moore (Curator of the Chassell Heritage Center) and I met at the Chassell Heritage Center to review his ideas regarding exhibit space. Mat has some great ideas on better potential layouts.
From that meeting, I headed over to the Fire Hall where Brian Waters and I did a call with Sigrid Resh with KISMA (Keweenaw Invasive Species Management Area) to discuss a grant opportunity that could support securing a CD3 boat wash system for the boat launch at Centennial Park to help control the spread of invasive species like milfoil. We will be following up with her quickly on this as there is a February 8th deadline for the grant proposal submission. We also talked with Sigrid about our challenges with buckthorn on the historic trail. We scheduled a meeting with her on Saturday morning to take a first hand look.
The early part of the week was spent pondering the conundrum our Chassell Historical Organization faces as we attempt to work toward universal accessibility of the Heritage Center. I received an updated cost estimate of $200,000 from U.P. Engineers and Architects for the platform elevator option which I then shared with both the Keweenaw National Historical Park and my Planning/Policy Review and Restoration & Maintenance Committee members of the CHO board. For an organization that is only open for a limited number of days during the summer and has limited assets upon which to draw, we are faced with the difficult choice of having to pursue an option that is less than our goal of universal accessibility.
On Tuesday I posted information online about the informational meeting the Planning Commission will be hosting at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 14th, at the Fire Hall regarding the Chassell Mercantile Redevelopment project. Dan Palosaari and James Marusich will be there to present and answer questions about this project which would bring twenty-two one and two-bedroom apartments to downtown Chassell.
Wednesday I shared the Letter of Inquiry for the canoe/kayak launch that I had prepared to the Portage Health (now Copper Shores Community Health) Foundation in 2020 with Barb McEwen the Executive Director of the Baraga County Convention and Visitors Bureau to support their effort to secure an upstream launch on the Sturgeon River. That evening, in my capacity as a member of the Houghton County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, I attended a City of Houghton joint meeting presentation by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and the Keweenaw Economic Development Alliance about the use of Brownfield Tax Increment Financing. The well attended meeting was extremely informative about a number of key development tools.
Thursday, Brian Waters and I conferenced with Sue Anderson with SAIL (the Superior Alliance for Independent Living) to discuss her input on the plan drawings completed for the boardwalk, adjustable boat ramp dock, and accessible sidewalk from the pavilion to the waterfront.
Also on Thursday, I reached out by email to Ron Yesney at the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to see if MDNR approval would be required for the groomed oval we are envisioning for Pike Bay for kick-sledding, skating, and walking/running. I also reached out to Chassell Schools Superintendent Marco Guidotti about a potential student involvement angle on the project.
Friday I worked with Brian Waters and our Township Supervisor Dave Mattson on how we might approach a piece of property offered to the Township by the Michigan Department of Transportation.
All in the life of a so-called retired person in the Keweenaw!
Saturday morning Brian Waters and I met up with Sigrid Resh and Rod Chimner to walk the Chassell Historic Trail to provide a first hand look at the extent of the buckthorn along the trail. Brian and I learned a lot from Sigrid about buckthorn’s serious negative impact on the area’s ecology. Aside from crowding out native species, the buckthorn is not healthy for birds, nor does it draw insects that birds require to feed their young. We learned how female trees should be pruned and talked about working with KISMA to help remediate the problem. Rod shared ideas for native plants/trees that could be introduced to help compete with the buckthorn.
Saturday afternoon, Julie and I took advantage of the beautiful winter day with a drive up to Eagle Harbor. We made a number of stops along the way starting with Ten-Foot Falls on the Eagle River.
After crossing the M-26 bridge over the river, we made a stop at Eagle River Falls.
Down on the Lake Superior shore we took in the view of the accumulated ice near the mouth of the river just to the west of the Fitz.
We would make our next stop at Jacobs Creek Falls which was flowing nicely in the above freezing temperatures.
A short distance east of there we drove along the dunes flanking Great Sand Bay and took in the commanding view of Lake Superior.
Upon reaching Eagle Harbor, we stopped by the Eagle Harbor Lighthouse.
From Eagle Harbor, we headed on back to Hancock…but more about that next time!
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