IRONWOOD, MI - Tuesday, June 03, 2008 - The Recreation/Cultural & Life Enrichment Committee held its regular meeting on Monday, June 02, 2008, at 6:00 PM in the Women's Club Room on the second floor of the Ironwood Memorial Building.

Committee members present for the meeting were: Annette Burchell, Eric Lytwyniuk, Scott Stephens, John Wyssling, Marion True and new member Sam Davey. Absent members include: Joe Karius, Dave Peite and Laura Thomas. Dan Adams resigned from the committee. City Manager, Scott Erickson and Community Development Director, Dan Petersen represented the City staff at the meeting. In the audience were Commissioner Tom Laabs and Tom DeCarlo. Representing the media were: Lou Bonagura & Arvo Toolanen from IronwoodInfo.com, Ralph Ansami from the Ironwood Daily Globe, and Steve Frank and yours truly from the Chronicle.

Prior to the meeting, newcomer Sam Davey took his oath of office.

The Committee's first course of action was to approve the minutes from and discussion notes from the February 18, 2008 and April 7, 2008 meetings. The Committee meets every two months.

Tom DeCarlo addressed the Committee proposing his idea to repair the Norrie Park Dam. DeCarlo described to the Committee how Norrie Park used to be a favored swimming hole in the area. He said he'd like to repair the dam and bring Norrie Park swimming back to the area.

DeCarlo explained to the Committee that he had previously contacted the Downtown Ironwood Development Authority (DIDA) and received their blessings in his venture. He had also made several contacts to the "powers that be" in regards to repairing the dam. He has requested the proper forms and paperwork to get approval for the project. He asked the Committee to support his efforts and to assist him in his project. DeCarlo explained that the concrete would be donated, and all labor to make the repair would be volunteer. He said the improvement would cost the City virtually nothing, but the City would regain a once popular swimming site.

The Committee unanimously approved a motion to support DeCarlo's plan. Committee member John Wyssling told the Committee that he fully favored the idea, saying Ironwood needs more water-related park areas to make the City more attractive.

Sam Davey outlined a Cemetery walking trail plan that would follow the Montreal River through the flats; around the caves; along railroad grades; through town; and eventually connecting to a Norrie Park trail. He explained that his plan would also cost the City nothing. He said a 30" wide trail could be cut along the route he outlined. He said the trail would be rustic, but very much usable. He pointed out that the Committee would need to address several issues such as property easements and any potential conflicts with motorized trails. The Committee agreed with Davey's proposed plan, and decided to create a sub-committee to further examine and implement the construction of the trail.

The Committee decided to take a circle tour of Ironwood's Parks to better understand the scope of their mission. The also agreed to create a comprehensive Park Plan and a Trail Plan. Their goal is to eventually tie in with a regional trail system (walking, hiking, biking and cross country) that would connect several area communities.

Dan Petersen told the Committee that very little action has taken place in regards to grant applications. The City has been optimistically waiting for the Hovey Towering Pines low-income project to begin.

Hovey has an option on an eight acre Ayer Street parcel of land. They have agreed to purchase the property for $80,000 pending approval of their low-income housing project from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA). Although they have an option on the land, the City failed to require earnest money from the developer. Hovey is an out-of-town developer from DeWitt, Michigan.

The City of Ironwood has earmarked the proceeds for the Hovey project for certain parks projects throughout the City, however, the Hovey project has not yet been approved by MSHDA, and it doesn't appear that the project will be approved in the near future.

City Manager Scott Erickson presented to the Committee a plan from Jerry Pisani to construct storage units on currently City-owned land along Frenchtown Road. The City Commission wanted to check with the Committee to see if there were any plans to include the subject parcel in any of their future projects. The Committee noted that the property would be a favorable site for future parks and/or trails projects, and that they would prefer that the City recommend another parcel for Pisani's project.

Steve Frank strongly recommended that the City consider creating a "warehouse" district that could house private storage buildings as well as commercial warehouses. Other communities have such districts, and they work very well.

Committee member Marion True asked City Manager Scott Erickson what the status of the City's skate park was. According to Erickson, "things are moving forward" in regards to the park. He told the Committee that the City would know by mid-June if the DNR grant they applied for would be approved. True questioned how long it would be before a skate park could realistically be opened. Erickson could not give a definite time frame for the construction of the park.

Scott Stephens told the Committee that a skate park could be opened immediately at the Civic Center if the City would give them the go-ahead. City Manager Erickson, who obviously opposes the Civic Center skate park proposal, continued to find rather lame excuses not to locate even a "temporary" park at the Center. Prior to adjournment, the Committee agreed to meet on a monthly basis until some of the park plan and trail plan details can be worked out.

EDITOR'S NOTE: It is this reporter's opinion that Scott Erickson's political bias against the Civic Center has tainted his judgement to the point where he is no longer looking out for what is best for the community. Erickson, in my opinion, has such contempt for the Civic Center, that he would rather waste City tax dollars building and maintaining a new skate park (at a time when the City is struggling financially)  than to locate the park at the Center. Whenever the skate park issue is brought up, Erickson becomes red-faced and nervous. His blind opposition to the Civic Center skate park plan ignores the benefits to both the Center and the City, and it is time that people start speaking up. The City of Ironwood, has for years insisted that the Civic Center become self-sustaining, yet, when an opportunity arises to allow the Center to do just that... our manager does everything in his power to discourage the idea.

Erickson is fooling himself and everybody that listens to his rhetoric if he thinks it is realistic to open an outdoor skate park yet this summer. No action has been taken to make an outdoor park a reality, and no plans are in the works either. By the time the grants are approved and the money is available, school will be back in session... and another season will have passed without a skate park. Currently, enough money has been pledged to the project to buy adequate equipment to start a quality skate park facility. What is lost if a temporary park is placed at the Civic Center? Why is our City Manager so opposed to Civic Center? It's time for Mr. Erickson to put his political views aside and to do what's right for the community!

Jim Albert