Interpretive Signs To Highlight St. Ignace Waterfront Park
By Paul Gingras

This preliminary drawing for the Chief Wawatam Park project, developed by R.S. Scott and Associates, was presented to the Downtown Development Authority Friday, February 9. The park is to be developed along the old railroad dock in St. Ignace. (Artwork courtesy of R.S. Scott and Associates)

The St. Ignace Downtown Development Authority (DDA) approved spending $10,000 to begin developing Chief Wawatam Park along the old railroad dock. The park will be considered an "open air museum" because it will include interpretive signs detailing "everything that went on at the St. Ignace waterfront," said DDA Director Deb Evashevski, who presented a design at the DDA meeting Friday, February 9. The project is in the preliminary stages. A rough estimate for the park's cost is $200,000.

The DDA board approved spending $10,000 to get the project started. The DDA also voted to allow Mrs. Evashevski to request grants from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).

The addition of a proposed fishermen's memorial at the site would make it more likely that the DDA would receive these grants, Mayor Paul Grondin said.

The design includes a 550-footlong, 10-foot-wide brick walkway. The walkaway is primarily for aesthetic purposes, Mrs. Evashevski said, but it will also be needed for truck access to the waterfront and to allow for maintenance of Wawatam Lighthouse. The brick design replaces earlier plans of a boardwalk or a limestone path, which would be damaged by maintenance vehicles.

The Authority decided that the park should include fencing to prevent children from falling into the water.

The DDA is also moving ahead with plans to place six informational signs around downtown St. Ignace to feature area businesses and attractions. The signs are intended to guide shoppers and tourists and will include a map of the area, business locations, where parking is available, details on the boardwalk, and community events, Mrs. Evashevski said. The signs will be waterproof and easily updated, she said.

The signs will cost about $1,000 each, Mrs. Evashevski said, adding that she would have firm numbers for the DDA at the next meeting in March. The DDA could pursue a more elaborate, more expensive sign, however, she added.

The Authority asked City Manager Eric Dodson to investigate problems with Internet service provided by Lighthouse.net, which has not been functioning properly at the St. Ignace Chamber of Commerce office or the St. Ignace Marina. Both are promoted as Internet hotspots, Mrs. Evashevski explained.

Marquette Mission Park and Museum of Ojibwa Culture Manager Shirley Sorrels reported that she has applied for $15,000 from General Mills for restoration work at the museum. The museum needs foundation work to increase air flow, which should decrease moisture accumulation that is causing paint to peel. Engineers are now assessing the building's needs.

The museum will need to be raised, painted, and have its windows replaced.

Mrs. Evashevski reported to the DDA that, at the City Council's request, City Attorney Prentiss "Moie" Brown Jr. is now reviewing City Ordinance 480, a sign ordinance that details the use of banners in St. Ignace. The Planning Commission, the City Council, and the DDA are working together to decide the most appropriate uses of banners in the City.

The Planning Commission and the DDA have differing views on the subject, Mrs. Evashevki said; the Planning Commission believes banners should be allowed to be kept up indefinitely, while the DDA believes banners should be temporary.