The Laurium Village Council held their Regular August Meeting on Tuesday. Action items and discussion included a number of short-term and long-term improvement initiatives within the village. These include infrastructure improvements, parks and recreation initiatives, and a curious “sliver of land on Fulton Street.” 

“(The Department of Natural Resources) want to gift it to us,” reported village clerk Patricia Golus. “I included the village attorney in the email just because it scares me when someone says, ‘it’s a gift.’ What strings are attached? I want verification that this is what it says it is.” 

The gift offer raised other questions with the council: Why does the DNR own the land? Why don’t they want it? Also unanswered was the question of what the village would do with the land in the event that it is accepted. 

The village council is also planning improvements to existing recreational areas, namely the George Gipp Recreational Area. A number of respondents of survey recently made available to residents of the village said that they would like pickle ball courts. Village President John Sullivan called it a validation of the survey saying, “this is the kind of feedback we want.” 

“We’re thinking that we could eliminate one tennis court and put in two pickleball courts,” reported Amy Schneiderhan, who is on both the Parks and Recreation Committee and the Beautification Committee. “It looks like there would be room for two pickleball courts, which is what they requested because they have little tournaments.” 

Schneiderhan is in talks with Hancock who recently made a similar alteration at their Laurn-Grove Park. If the village goes ahead with the changes, they would be funded, at least in part, by a community fundraiser. 

Progress is also going forward on a new handicap-accessible swing and picnic table with a gravel parking space at the recreation area, paid for by a grant from the Portage Health Foundation and funds donated by the local Knights of Columbus. 

“The concrete should be poured later this week,” reported Sullivan. “The swing will be up and running at that point and the picnic table isn’t going to be here until late September or early October.” 

The council is also exploring using funds from the Michigan Township Participation Plan to install security cameras at Gipp Arena: one in the lobby, and one on either side of the building overlooking the ball field and play area. They are planning a “live demo” of a system recently installed at the Calumet Coliseum and talking with the City of Houghton who have a more robust system in the downtown area. 

A village-wide yard clean-up initiative is also underway. Three local towing companies, Joe’s Towing, Patriot Towing, and Ed’s Salvage, are contributing by removing junk cars for free. 

“They will haul it, the tow company will be paid for the recycle, and whatever they pay for that, the fees for the tow will come out of that,” explained Sullivan. 

The Village Council also agreed to allow a volunteer group to hang and take down ribbons in honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in September. 

On a final note, there will be no community roller-skating at the Gipp Arena this weekend, as the arena has been rented out for an event.