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These are the 2017 recipients of the Marquette Beautification & Restoration Committee Inc. Clockwise from left are: Tiina Harris, Spark Plug Award; Carol Fulsher, Great Outdoors Award; Mike Carl, accepting the award for parents Mike and Carolyn Carl, Window Display Award; Alayna Prahl and Michael Prahl, accepting the award for Tom Vear and Jennifer Ray, Sign of the Times Award; Tom Anthos, Commercial/Business Improvement Award; David Lynch, Certificate of Appreciation Award; Amy Lerlie, Barbara H. Kelly Historic Preservation Award; Dr. Peter Kelly, Phil Niemisto Volunteer Award; and Karl Zueger, Lifetime Achievement Award. (Journal photo by Christie Bleck)
MARQUETTE -- This year's recipients of the Marquette Beautification & Restoration Committee Inc.'s annual awards came from all walks of life: city government, outdoor recreation, community welfare and private business.
Nine awards were presented to the winners Thursday at the Landmark Inn.
MBRC Vice President Barb Kelly said: "Over the years, it has been our great honor to recognize their actions, selflessness and devotion to causes and publicly say thank you, and show our appreciation for all they contribute to our community."
Gold stars were on the honorees' name badges, but they also were called up individually to receive their award certificates after the audience learned about their accomplishments.
Winning the Lifetime Achievement Award was Karl Zueger, the recently retired city of Marquette community services director.
His accomplishments include shepherding the new Clark Lambros' Beach Park grant, initiating the creation and adoption of the Marquette Arts and Culture Master Plan and partnering with the MBRC for the Father Marquette Statue restoration and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Trust Fund grant for accessibility.
"Our committee considers Karl a very good and loyal friend on a personal level and appreciate everything he did to further our goals," Kelly said.
Speaking on his behalf was his wife, Jill.
"I accept this award not for myself but moreover as a member of the team of professionals within the community services department," she said. "As I've learned in my tenure, serving the public requires more than one man to make something happen."
That department and the MBRC is that team, she said.
"Although my journey has concluded, I realize that it truly is a short passage in our community's soulful story," she said. "With your committee's commitment and passion, I can only look forward with confidence that our community's soul will be preserved and nurtured."
David Lynch, retired assistant director of the Marquette Board of Light and Power, received the Certificate of Appreciation Award.
"Many years ago when the BLP was installing new light fixtures along U.S. Highway 41 where our committee plants our Petunia Pandemonium flowers, he contacted Emily Lewis, our president at the time, to schedule a meeting because he did not want to disturb the flowers and wanted to work collaboratively," Kelly said.
Lynch said the BLP worked with the MBRC his entire career on various projects.
"They've really dressed up this area immensely," Lynch said.
Amy Lerlie, executive director of Community Action Alger Marquette, received the Barbara H. Kelly Historic Preservation Award. The former Holy Family Orphanage, which has been vacant since 1981, is being turned into Grandview Marquette to provide affordable rental and supportive housing.
Developer Home Renewal Systems, based in downstate Farmington Hills, purchased the property in 2016.
"The project is a partnership from start to finish with HRS looking for a local nonprofit with expertise in affordable housing, leading them to Amy," Kelly said.
Lerlie said: "Our goal is to provide an opportunity for families of modest means to live in Marquette, work in Marquette, play in Marquette and enjoy this beautiful city that is Marquette."
Carol Fulsher, administrator for the Iron Ore Heritage Trail, was the recipient of the Great Outdoors Award.
Fulsher has served on the city of Marquette's Art Task Force, which was created to implement the city's master plan commitment to public art. Since the IOHT runs along Lakeshore Boulevard next to Father Marquette Park, Fulsher committed $30,000 for public art, including a gateway and two benches.
Planned are an interpretive sign about the Roundhouse property in the city of Marquette, for example, as well as other interpretive art, said Fulsher, who noted a purpose of the IOHT is to educate the public about the region's iron ore mining history.
"We've taken rail that was used and made mile markers," Fulsher said.
The Sign of the Time Award was awarded to Tom Vear and Jennifer Ray for their work on the Delft marquee and Delft Bistro along West Washington Street.
The bistro was repurposed from an abandoned movie theater into an industrial-style restaurant with a floor-to-ceiling screen showing vintage movies.
"The bistro opened and once again the vibrant, iconic marquee was lit up and providing a glittering magic to our downtown as it announced events, etc.," said Kelly, who called it a "sparkling tiara on downtown."
Accepting on Vear and Ray's behalf were Michael Prahl, executive chef, and Alayna Prahl, general manager.
"When we lit it up for the first time, it truly took my breath away," Alayna Prahl said of the marquee.
Michael Prahl thanked Code Electrical Inc., based in Marquette, for "helping us get those lights back on."
Tiina Harris, community services manager for arts and culture for the city of Marquette, won the Sparkplug Award.
Kelly said Harris helped spearhead a city master plan, soliciting focus groups and one-on-one interviews as well as public comment.
"At the time that the beautification committee was searching for a prominent restorer for the Father Marquette Statue's reliefs, Tiina spoke enthusiastically about the need for a public art policy," Kelly said.
Harris said she was honored to be recognized because the award came from the MBRC.
Harris said of the organization: "They're remarkable. They changed Marquette perceives history. They changed how we treat historic places, and that took a long time to change that culture."
The Window Display Award went to Mike and Carolyn Carl, owners of the Spice Merchants along West Washington Street.
"The window displays, created by Carolyn, draw you in with their worldly, magical appeal, reflecting the many areas of the world which produce spices," Kelly said.
Accepting on his parents' behalf was their son, Mike, who credited Phil Niemisto, a common downtown figure who washes windows and tends the pocket park that bears his name, with keeping the windows "squeaky clean."
"She has a great eye for decorating," he said of his mother. "She's always looking for inspiration and finding new ways to 'spice up' the display."
Tom Anthos, president of TriMedia Environmental & Engineering Services, located along West Washington Street, received the Commercial/Business Improvement Award.
Kelly said the MBRC applauded the company for its renovation and new streetscape appearance, with contemporary buildings featuring large windows and clean lines replacing the old exterior.
"We're really excited about our building," Anthos said. "We're really excited about the city of Marquette."
Winning the Phil Niemisto Awarded was Dr. Peter Kelly, a longtime behind-the-scenes volunteer for the MBRC.
"Before irrigation, for three years he watered the flowers every other night with the 'petunia pumper' with water from Lake Superior," Kelly said. "A full watering job took three hours after dinner as he sat on the trailer with the water tank and sprayed the flowers as his wife drove."
He said: "The whole city of Marquette, I think, is just doing a wonderful job, from the management all the way down."
The MBRC will meet at noon Oct. 12 at the Landmark Inn, with Jon Swenson, Marquette director of community services, discussing "The Five-Year Master Plan and Marquette Placemaking."
Membership in the MBRC is $25 per year based on the calendar year. For more information, visit www.mqtbeautification.org.
Christie Bleck can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 250. Her email address is cbleck@miningjournal.net.