Calumet residents invited to provide input on village’s future
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CALUMET VILLAGE -- This past Saturday, Calumet Community Day was met with cold, cloudy weather that may have resulted in lower than expected attendance.
In spite of the weather, Village Manager Megan Haselden said it was a wonderful event, though event organizers and volunteers thought throughout the day that it was going to rain.
The event took place at the pavilion at Agassiz Park, on Fourth Street and its purpose was twofold: To celebrate the 100th anniversary of Agassiz Park, which is a public park owned by the village and is open for public use daily. The second purpose was to invite residents of the area, both village residents and those from the surrounding community, to provide input to village council members and other stakeholders as the village updates its Master Plan.
This year, Hazelden said, she wanted to expand the survey to gather feedback from everyone who cares about the village of Calumet.
The Master Plan is essentially like a Strategic Plan for the next five years for the village of Calumet, Haselden said.
"Each time that we've done an update, we've conducted a survey," she said, "and usually that survey has gone out to property owners in the village."
Because of the importance of the Master Plan, it is essential to register input from not only business owners, but from the community as well, on the direction of the plan to ensure that when it is completed, it reflects the values and wished of all community members.
"So, it was really cool to have members of the community, not just the village of Calumet, but from the village of Laurium, along with residents from all over Calumet Township join us. We had really good food to share, we had a really good spread, we grilled hotdogs, and got a lot of feedback from them."
One of the first questions on the survey was "What is your connection to the village of Calumet?" Beneath the question were additional questions such as whether the respondent lives full or part-time in the village; whether they own property in the village, own a business, or work in the village; whether they shop, visit restaurants and businesses and/or attend events in the village.
"We want to get feedback from everybody," Haselden said, because the village is a pinnacle to the region and a lot of people come here,' adding that stakeholders want the village to continue to grow in a way that makes sense for everyone."
Over the past couple of years, the village's revitalization has gained momentum and has begun to attract many people from outside the region, including many who have come to invest in the village. This has included new businesses coming to the business district, extensive investments in rehabilitating buildings in the historic district, and creating a general atmosphere of growth and positive momentum.
It has taken several years for stakeholders and investors to move the village this far forward and the Master Plan update is a reflection of all involved to continue to move forward. This includes residents of the village and its surrounding areas. They are also encouraged to provide their opinions, thoughts and concerns.
The 2023 Village of Calumet Master Plan survey contains 43 questions spanning 13 pages. Questions range from what residents see as the three biggest challenges facing the village over the next 10 years to whether respondents feel housing options in the village are financially attainable, to opinions on zoning and ordinances such as marijuana and short--term rental ordinances and other commercial businesses.
Anyone wishing to view the survey questions can find them at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/J96KZR9