MICHIGAMME — The Michigamme Township Board at its most recent meeting approved a motion to move a publicly owned gazebo from its current location on Marquette County Road Commission right-of-way space to a designated park area on the east side of Lake Michigamme, across from Mount Shasta.

The 65-foot-long by 25-foot-wide lot is located at the corner of Max and Lake streets, and is listed on a Marquette County plat map as part of Lake Street. The gazebo was built on Lake Michigamme in 2016 with Central Upper Peninsula Planning and Development Regional Commission grant money.

The property was labeled by the community as a pocket park due to public accessibility and its small size. Many residents expressed concerns at the meeting about the proposed move of the gazebo, saying they believe the structure is symbolic of the community’s shared lakefront access.

Michigamme Township Supervisor William Seppanen weighed in on the situation in a phone interview.

“The main reason (for moving the gazebo) is because it isn’t used enough and it is sitting on road commission property,” he said. “But (the road commission) said it can stay there but you cannot advertise that as a park.”

Jim Iwanicki, engineer manager of the Marquette County Road Commission, shared the road commission’s position on the matter.

“We know the gazebo is there and we have said at this point in time that it can stay there and we are monitoring its use,” he said in a phone interview. “And if the use is acceptable, we could maintain the way it has been going, and if it (isn’t), then we would change things.”

Many residents tried to persuade board members during public comment to not approve the move of the structure.

“I am not in favor of moving the gazebo or restrictions being put on its use. The township doesn’t even own its property and has no right to restrict its use,” Michigamme resident Richard Wedin said during the public comment portion of the township’s June 14 meeting. “The Marquette County Road Commission stated in their decision they had no problem with the gazebo remaining where it is. The board’s job is to make decisions that are best for the community. I do not think that (is) taking access away from the community.”

Residents said that the lake access at that spot has been important for generations, with some residents adding sand to the beach area near the gazebo.

Michigamme resident Whitney Saunders told the Journal in a phone interview that she is “frustrated” with the situation surrounding the gazebo.

“The gazebo was put there five years ago because children have swam there and fished there since Michigamme became a town (in 1872),” she said. “My family has been swimming there for five generations. When I swam there it wasn’t well kept, with no place to put a towel and what not, so they (the township) created this space in downtown Michigamme to let people enjoy the spot more…. We are upset because it was there and working and used by many people, not just people of Michigamme but tourists … and we have the permission of (the) Marquette County Road Commission, who have jurisdiction. The prior (downtown development authority) board and previous Michigamme Township Board put this gazebo in.”

However, Seppanen said he believes moving the gazebo could help more people access it.

“The intention to moving the gazebo is to get it off road commission property and where it will have more use then it does now. It will be at the township park,” he said.

Iwanicki said the situation with the property boils down to proper use.

“Accessing the water and swimming and fishing, that is OK, again some things are — and some things that are not — allowed, that is dealing with state law,” he said. “We are not an enforcement arm, but we would like to help make sure it is being used accordingly. It was dedicated for road purposes that is where these rules come in. If it was dedicated for public use there might be a different look at it.”

Katie Segula can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 242. Her email address is ksegula@miningjournal.net.