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More greenery for Negaunee

Anna Mattson, left, an organizer with the Negaunee Beautification Committee; Tyler Behm, denter, an employee at Nagelkirk, a Harvey-based gardening center; and Derek DuShane of the city of Negaunee plant a Red Sunset maple tree at Bernie Rivers Memorial Field in Negaunee on Thursday. Another Red Sunset tree as well as a Greenspire linden tree were to be planted as well. (Journal photo by Christie Mastric)

NEGAUNEE — Bernie Rivers Memorial Field now has more foliage thanks to several community organizations.

Two Red Sunset maple trees and a Greenspire linden tree were planted on Thursday at the field courtesy of the Negaunee Beautification Committee, which received a $2,400 grant from the Community Foundation of Marquette County.

The field is a multiple-use neighborhood park for the city’s Little League. New multi-age playground equipment and a basketball court were recently installed, according to the NBC. Several adult fitness stations also were included in the upgrade.

“Our goal is to beautify the environment and enhance the environment of city parks,” NBC organizer Anna Mattson said. “That’s what the NBC does, and in this park, we’re starting from the desert, I said. The soil here is not good, so we’re enriching the soil.”

Mattson said “shade” will be added to the playground in the spring with more trees planted.

“Negaunee has been designated a Tree City USA, so this is kind of a piggy-back situation to them with that,” Mattson said.

The NBC worked with the Negaunee Parks and Recreation Commission and the Negaunee Department of Public Works on the project.

The project is expected to fit in the local area.

“If you look in the neighborhood, that’s pretty much what you see here,” Mattson said of the new trees.

Zosia Eppensteimer, CEO of the Community Foundation of Marquette County, said the grant came from the Negaunee Area Community Fund, an organization affiliate.

“I think the Negaunee Area Community Fund is really committed to supporting grass-roots efforts, and definitely, the Negaunee Beautification Committee is a group that really cares about the surrounding area and wants to make it a good place to live and raise kids and recreate,” Eppenstimer said.

The NBC is an all-volunteer, nonprofit committee that welcomes anyone wanting to help. For more information, visit the city website at cityofnegaunee.com or the NBC’s Facebook page, or contact Mattson at annamattson@sbcglobal.net.

Christie Mastric can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 250. Her email address is cbleck@miningjournal.net.

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