MUNISING — Soon there will be a drastic change in the alley that is one-half block south of Munising Avenue (M-28) running from Elm Avenue to Maple Street in Munising.

The Munising Downtown Development Authority is implementing the “Munising Art in the Alley” project this summer. The alley will contain over 60 reproduced works of art from Alger County residents, over 20 new art banners from Munising’s fourth- through 12th-grade art classes, annual and perennial plants and flowers, cafe lighting, “Life of Lake Superior” tile art by area residents and custom designed metal gateways.

“We started working on parts of the project about five years ago, but I wanted to have funding in place and some infrastructure projects done in that area before we got started,” said Kathy Reynolds, Executive Director of the Munising DDA and the Alger Co. Chamber/Partnership, in a press release.

The Superior Watershed Partnership office donated its labor force, the Great Lakes Conservation Corp, for three days for the clean-up of the alley. The art prints and gateways are currently in production and planting will start the beginning of June. In addition, security cameras will be installed to keep an eye on the area and the installations.

“We are really excited to see this project evolve over time. The participation and excitement from the local artists and volunteers makes this project a pleasure to take on. Our hope is by improving this area, people will take pride in its cleanliness. The more we take care of the aesthetics of our downtown, the more enjoyable it is for the community and its visitors. After we had the Detroit Institute of Arts Inside/Out program downtown last year and watched its success, we knew people wanted more art and culture added to the area. We plan on this alley being a continual work in progress and each year adding on additional blocks with different themes and installations,” Reynolds said.