Pictured from left: Erica Huss, SBSH Project Manager; Lance Peterson, Rotary Club; Janet Lajoie, Rotary Club; Anna Mattson, Negaunee Parks and Recs Board; Zosia Eppensteiner, Marquette County Ambassador; Brad Saatio, Incredible Bank; Heidi Peterson, Rotary Club; Emily Rushford, Rotary Club; Nate Heffron, Rotary Club; Jerald Wilson, Water’s Edge Dock and Hoist; Craig Ilmonen, Negaunee City Mayor; Mark Hutchinson, Rotary Club; Carrie Hutchinson, Rotary Club; Stacy Welling Haughey, Michigan DNR; Brett Argall, Ishpeming City Council; Tracy Croley, Flourish Financial Partners; Randy Scholz, Ishpeming City Manager; Brooke Quinn, LSCP Senior Business Development Representative. (Photo courtesy of the Lake Superior Community Partnership)

NEGAUNEE — A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on Monday to celebrate the completion of the joint Teal Lake dock project.

The Lake Superior Community Partnership assisted the city of Ishpeming, the city of Negaunee and the Rotary Club of Ishpeming in hosting the ceremony Monday at the Negaunee dock, located across the street from Lakeview Elementary School along the shores of Teal Lake.

The new ADA-compliant docks, located on both ends of Teal Lake, were sourced through EZ-Dock and exceed standard accessibility guidelines with a universally accessible design. The west-side dock in Ishpeming accommodates both canoes and kayaks, while the east-side dock in Negaunee supports canoes, kayaks and sculls used by the Marquette Rowing Club.

Construction began in the summer of 2024 and was completed by Water’s Edge Dock and Hoist company.

“We’re really proud of this project and wanted to create an opportunity for the community to come out and try the docks,” said Nate Heffron, City Manager of Negaunee, in a press release. “Along with the demonstration, we’ll be hosting a small community picnic with hot dogs and a variety of beverages for everyone to enjoy.”

The project was supported by a $114,000 Recreation Passport Grant from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, contributing to a total project cost of approximately $152,000. The required local match of $38,900 was successfully raised thanks to the generous support of the following contributors:

≤ City of Ishpeming – $10,000

≤ City of Negaunee – $10,000

≤ Ishpeming Rotary Club – $10,000

≤ Tru North Credit Union – $1,000

≤ West End Health Foundation – $7,500

≤ Ishpeming/Negaunee Community Fund – $1,900

≤ U.P. Rowing Club – $1,000

≤ Rotary District #6220 – $7,500

The city of Ishpeming, city of Negaunee, and the Rotary Club of Ishpeming extend their sincere thanks to the Michigan DNR and the Recreation Passport Grant Program for their vital support of this project and their continued commitment to outdoor recreation in the Upper Peninsula.

For questions regarding the project, contact Heffron at 906-475- 7700, ext. 11.