Photo courtesy of Visit Keweenaw Bete Grise Beach —The Keweenaw County Road Commission received $4,000 from Visit Keweenaw's Destination Development Fund to go towards outdoor seating for the Bete Grise Roadside Park. Jesse Wiederhold of Visit Keweenaw said the area has seen an increase in visitors and there has been a lack of areas to rest in the parks and beach.

HANCOCK — Visit Keweenaw announced it has awarded $100,000 through the Destination Development Fund towards seven projects throughout the Keweenaw Peninsula. The projects are targeted towards site improvements and extensions for recreational locations in Houghton and Keweenaw Counties for tourists and residents.

The recipients this year include the Hancock Trails Club, Swedetown Trails Club, City of Hancock, Finlandia Foundation National, Keweenaw Snowmobile and Keweenaw ATV Club, Keweenaw Land Trust and the Keweenaw County Road Commission.

“It’s truly incredible especially as someone who lives here,” Visit Keweenaw Public Relations and Events Coordinator Jesse Wiederhold said. “To be able to put $100,000 into projects that get completed within the year is incredible. We’re trying to make this a sustainable tourist destination, and in any area for tourism there is a balance between tourism and residential needs.”

The Hancock Trails Club received $25,000. Wiederhold said the club plans to put $10,000 towards a crowdfunding campaign for the Maasto Hiihto System Trailhead and Skills Park improvements and $15,000 towards actual construction.

The Swedetown Trails Club was awarded $15,000 for the Two Hoots Trail’s Phase II Trail Bonding, which resulted in the creation of the club’s first ADA-compliant trail. Slopes on the path were reduced and trails were widened and smoothed over. The City of Hancock received $15,300 for the Christmas Lights Display at the city’s campground.

Finlandia Foundation National received $5,000 towards the Finnish American Heritage Trail Project, which will include signage along the area’s trail systems which will educate the public of the area’s Finnish influences throughout the peninsula.

The Keweenaw Snowmobile and Keweenaw ATV Clubs received $20,000 towards the Calumet Trailhead Project. According to Wiederhold the clubs are looking to improve the trailhead with parking so trailers do not take up too much space within Calumet. Wiederhold said the work on the trailhead will also make it the largest trail north of the Portage Canal.

Keweenaw Land Trust received $15,700 to go toward Jacob’s Falls and Boston Creek improvements and signs. The Keweenaw County Road Commission received $4,000 to provide park seating for Bete Grise Roadside Park. Wiederhold said Keweenaw County has seen an increase in visitation to the area and it was noted there was a lack of areas to rest.

“This is a positive example of a place seeing increased tourism coming to Visit Keweenaw to increase its funding,” Wiederhold said.

The funds from the grants all come through local lodging taxation with 10 or more units and other lodging that chooses to opt in. The tax amounts to six percent with five percent going towards Visit Keweenaw’s Destination Development Fund and one percent going towards Upper Peninsula Travel. Most lodging within the Keweenaw contributes to this tax.

“Each overnight stay in the Keweenaw helps make this region better,” said Visit Keweenaw Executive Director Brad Barnett in a press release. “Tourism doesn’t just support businesses – it supports trail access, land stewardship and spaces our communities use every day. This program infuses tourism dollars into our community which benefits locals and visitors alike.”

Wiederhold pointed out the Swedetown Accessibility or Universal Access Trail as how the projects benefit residents and visitors alike. He said the area’s population has a large aging demographic which can struggle to enjoy outdoor activities, and such outdoor infrastructure improvements assist everyone wanting to utilize the what the Keweeanw has to offer for recreation. He also pointed to the Painesdale Mine and Shaft as another example.

“We’ve been involved in sign restoration in locations such as Painesdale Mine which has applied to our program. This is important to the local population, and we see a lot of generational family travel. Visitors whose families have worked in the mine come here and want to see where their heritage is,” Wiederhold said.