CALUMET TOWNSHIP — The township office reported an end-of-season wrap-up in a recent email from Calumet Township Supervisor, Tim Gasperich, in which he discussed winter opportunities available throughout the township.

The staff and governing boards of Calumet Township know residents and visitors value recreation and have made it a priority year-round, said Gasperich in the email.

“The Township is home to several recreational facilities, some of which are owned by the township, but managed and supported by volunteer boards or committees, while others are simply located within the township boundaries.”

Among the facilities listed is the township’s Swedetown Recreation Area. The township and the North Houghton County Water and Sewage Authority own1,900 acres which comprises the Swedetown Recreational Area, which is used year-round.

According to the township’s website, the area has 30 kilometers of trails (three miles of which are lighted to allow night-time skiing). Swedetown is largely managed by a publicly-formed community group known as the Swedetown Trails Club (STC). The 2,200 sq. ft. Chalet serves as a warm-up facility for the ski trails and the adjacent lighted sledding and snowboard hill. During the warm months Swedetown trails are used by hikers, trail runners, mountain bikers as well as over 200 participants in the annual Great Deer Chase Mountain Bike Race. There are currently about 24 miles of single-track trails at Swedetown. This past winter, the chalet was open seven days a week, utilize by all users including skiers, sledders, snowshoers and snow bikers. All benefited from various improvements that were made in the off-season, perhaps most noticeably was the expanded parking lot, which was able to accommodate the large number of regular visitors to the site. The Swedetown Trails Club organized and hosted several events over the winter, including a Season Opener race in December, Winter Trails Day in January, the Great Bear Chase and Junior Bear Chase in March.

Also located within the township, The Copper Country Curling Club is located in the former Calumet & Hecla Mining Company’s drill shop and saw extensive use this past winter. Club President, Gary Lassila said:

“Membership numbers were at an all-time high, with 84 total members curling during the 15-week season, with three league nights and Saturday pick-up league”.

The Curling Club held a tournament, “the Copperspiel,”in late January, said Lassila, drawing teams from Detroit, Madison, St Paul and points between. The Club also provided a curling experience for 44 different groups that rented the facility for curling sessions. The groups were very diverse (corporate, church, school, sports teams, and friends and family) and many were from out of the area.

The Calumet Colosseum, considered the oldest continuously operated ice rink in North America, opened its doors for skating on October 1 and has been used every day since,’ says Gasperich. Junior Hockey, Senior Hockey, High School Hockey, Calumet Schools JROTC, Figure Skating, Public Skating, and some private rentals enjoyed the rink this winter.

The colosseum has been the USA Hockey Magazine, which states that construction on the facility began in 1913, the first official game occurred between the Calumet Wolverines and the Portage Lake Pioneers in Jan. 1914. These teams, now senior league men’s teams, were among the first professional hockey teams in the U.S.

Still another valuable recreational asset is the Calumet Lion’s Park, located on Calumet Lake, a former water source for the Calumet Mining Company’s original stamp mill, dating back to 1867. The park was created in partnership with the Calumet Lions Club, says the township website. In recent years the club has donated thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours of volunteer time. The park features picnic tables, a barrier-free walking trail, and parking lot. It also features an 18-hole disc golf course, horse shoe pit and large grassy areas for roaming or playing ball. There is an area to launch canoes or kayaks. Every summer the park is home to the Dam Jam, a music festival featuring local artists.

Thanks to some very generous donations, the Township was able to make several upgrades to the groomer for the trails at the Lions Club Park, the email says. Calumet Township resident and volunteer Marc Norton has taken on the task of keeping the trails around and near the lake groomed, said Gasperich.

“After a large snowfall, it’s intense physical work, said Norton, “but it enables us to offer trails for snow shoeing, fat tire biking, and walking right around the lake”, remarks Norton, who is a Township resident and avid trail user himself.

The township even boasts a 16-acre day park on the shore of Lake Superior, the Calumet Township Waterworks Park. The park has four overhead pavilions, toilets, picnic areas, playground, a volleyball court, and a basketball court. There is also a baseball area and a handicapped ramp to access the beach.

As the township announces its facilities winding down for the winter season, it is also gearing them up for the 2023 summer season.

For more information, visit the township’s website at https://www.calumettownship.org/