Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Houghton County Board Chair Tom Tikkanen, right, speaks at a ceremony dedicating Airpark Boulevard to former Chair Al Koskela Monday. Standing beside him are Commissioner Gretchen Janssen, Administrator Elizabeth Bjorn, Commissioner Kevin Codere, Vice Chair Roy Britz and Road Engineer Kevin Harju.

HOUGHTON — The road along the Houghton County Airpark was dedicated in honor of the late Houghton County Board Chair Albert Koskela at a ceremony Monday afternoon.

The sign closest to the Houghton County Memorial Airport was unveiled in front of a crowd of more than 40 people.

Koskela held numerous positions within the community, including serving on the Houghton County Board from 2012 until his death this April.

County Board Chair Tom Tikkanen said the county wanted to honor Koskela in a well-traveled place where people would regularly be reminded of his contributions. Airpark Boulevard made sense because of Koskela’s strong support for the airpark, which has a number of high-tech and manufacturing businesses, Tikkanen said.

“He understood that, he recognized that, and it’s vital for the community,” Tikkanen said. “We thought that this was the best location to memorialize his efforts.”

Tikkanen credited Houghton County Road Engineer Kevin Harju, Vice Chair Roy Britz and Airport Manager Dennis Hext for their efforts in navigating local and state signage requirements to get the signs put up.

Tikkanen said succeeding Koskela as chair has given him a new appreciation for his work.

“I felt I was a staunch supporter and admirer of Albert in his efforts prior to his passing, but probably even more so now,” he said. “There’s not a day that goes by that myself and the administrator Elizabeth Bjorn don’t ask each other, ‘What would Albert do?’ His influence lives on.”

Tikkanen said Koskela’s legacy can be felt in the way he supported workers while also keeping economics in mind. He also instilled in the board a deep appreciation for department heads, Tikkanen said.

“t spreads out really through the whole county having a better appreciation for the efforts made by our various municipalities, our townships, our villages or cities, and understanding how everyone has and needs to continue to operate as an overall municipal team and serve the best interest of the citizens, really of Houghton County,” he said. “Albert was superb at that, and we can only strive to try to emulate that.”