US-23 Heritage Route Wins Big!

I am very happy to report that the US 23 Heritage Route has been awarded a grant from the National Scenic Byways program for $147,186!  The purpose of the grant is to develop an interpretive program including the following:

1. Complete the inventory of assets

2. Interpretive information development including identifying sites/stories, developing criteria for selection, gathering information and graphics, and website enhancement to present the interpretive information on the web.

3. Creation of a regional tourism map of the route showing interpretive info (includes printing)

4. Creation of a large tourism map for each county showing more detailed interpretive info (includes printing)

5. Creation of 4 large “themed maps” for the route showing themed interpretive info such as an “historic map”, a “ecotourism” map, etc. (includes printing)

6. Creation of a guidebook for the entire route (includes printing)

7. Creation of downloadable tours for the website.

US 23 was one of only 2 routes in Michigan to receive grant funding – the other being the Tahquamenon Scenic Heritage Route ($56,000 for a plan). The announcement is located at: http://www.bywaysonline.org/news/2011/2965

City Council Meeting

City Council Meeting is moved up to Monday, May 2, 2011 at 7:00 pm. The City budget for FY 2011-2012 will be presented. The public is welcome.

Sailor's Memorial Service

Here is a great picture of last year's Sailor's Memorial Service which begins the Annual Nautical City Festival.  The picture shows Captain (retired) Richard Peacock reading the names of sailors lost on the Great Lakes.  Mr. Frank Mayes is tolling the ships bell.  Mr. Mayes is the sole living survivor of the sinking of the Carl D. Bradley.  Also pictures are members of the Queen's Court and sponsors.  Thanks to Kristin Peacock Craig for sharing this great picture. 

Don't miss this year's Nautical City Festival.  It is a great event!  Also, please don't forget the lives of the sailors lost on the Great Lakes.  They gave their lives in service of others.

Working Together to Market “Up North”….

Northern Michigan is home to hundreds of miles of fantastic trails available to a variety of users north

of the 44th parallel. Visitors can access hiking trails, biking trails, snowmobile trails, ski trails, horse

trails, ORV trails, and water trails. Many visitors to northern Michigan have remarked that we have

some of the best trails in the country. The challenge? More people need to hear about them!

Recently, a new collaboration of partners has formed which feels that we can accomplish more

together than we can separately. We have a goal of collectively marketing all northern Michigan

recreational assets from Lake Michigan to Lake Huron with an Up North identity so that the rest of the

country knows what it really means to go “Up North”.

Who’s on board?

Our group consists of a broad coalition of partners including regional agencies, state agencies, local

agencies, and trail user groups which all have the same goal in mind – making northern Michigan a

nationally‐known recreation destination. There is power in numbers, so we want to include as many

partners as we can in order to accomplish our goal. Here is a list of partners that have attended

meetings so far in the interest of collaborating to improve northern Michigan’s economy through

tourism marketing:

Northeast Michigan Council of Governments Michigan Department of Transportation

Northwest Michigan Council of Governments MSU Extension

Land Information Access Association Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Top of Michigan Trails Council Michigan State University Extension

Michigan Trails & Greenways Alliance Travel Michigan

Eastern Upper Peninsula Planning & Development Comm. Cheboygan County

US 23 Heritage Route North Country Trail Association

TART Trails Michigan Municipal League

Indian River Chamber of Commerce Michigan Trail Riders Association

Presque Isle County Development Commission Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians

Mackinaw Area Chamber of Commerce Topinabee Development Assoc.

Village of Mackinaw City Emmet County

Corwith Township Burt Lake Trail Committee

City of Grayling Crawford County Trails Committee

Briley Township

We are looking for more partners from across northern Michigan to join us in this endeavor! Our

group is currently working to form in an official capacity, and we need more partners to sign on in

order to ensure we are a true multi‐regional collaboration and to ensure that each portion of northern

Michigan is well represented in this endeavor. We plan to seek out private foundation funding and our

efforts are stronger with more partners on board. If you would like to join this effort, please contact

Denise Cline at dmcline@nemcog.org or 231.421.5384.