Summer Youth Program Open House 4/26, 6-8pm
By Dawn Buck on Mar 16, 2022 in Uncategorized
An open house is being planned for Tuesday,April 26 from 6-8 PM at the Lafayette building, lower level as the upstairs is a “progress zone” with bathrooms remodeled and lighting replaced.
Check out the fun from the 2019 Camp on this video!
2022 PP Summer Youth Program: “Camp Lafayette”
Yes! there will be a summer program with Kevin Chederquist leading the camp at Lafayette!
Here is a link to the Registration Form with all of the details!
The Park Point Summer Youth Program (affectionately known as “Camp Lafayette”) is returning in full-strength! This experiential education summer program is designed to give youth from 5-12 years of age exposure to new friendships, learning, and leadership. Housed in the historic Lafayette building on Park Point, the program has differentiated learning and teaming activities for three grade levels. Three counselors engage the campers as they grow gardens, play on the beach, travel and tour museums in Duluth, read at the library, ride bikes, sail, participate in Park Point Art Fair, 3D print at the MakerSpace, hike on the Superior Hiking Trail, stand-up paddle board, build lego structures, do weekly community service projects, play board games, play court games, visit a farm, write and perform a play, play kickball, and eat grilled food. The camp runs Monday-Thursday 8:00-4:00 (pickup until 4:30) for nine weeks starting June 13 to August 11 (excluding July 4th).
- Dates = June 13-August 12
- Camp runs Monday – Thursday (all Fridays off)
- No Camp on Monday, July 4th
- 8:00am-4:00pm
Link to 2022 Membership Roster
April PPCC Meeting Agenda & notes here, see you then, lower Lafayette
MP50 Newsletter 2/2022
MP50 Informational Meeting, Feb. 7, 2022 . Speakers were Diane Desotelle (City) and Nick Zager (USACE) talking about the City’s (Duluth’s) long term resiliency planning process for Minnesota Point and USACE Section 111 Study of Minnesota Point. Key takeaways:
- Diane Desotelle, Natural Resources Coordinator, Duluth, responded to questions about the City’s 50 – year Minnesota Point Planning Process which outlines how, and when, long-term planning activities with the City and stakeholder groups are taking place.
- Diane Desotelle referred to the timeline in the Planning Process and said the City is not requesting USACE beach nourishment this year.
- Section 111 Study of Minnesota Point has begun. Nick Zager, USACE, outlined the USACE Section 111 process for the Section 111 Study. The first meetings (Charrette) will be in March (below).
- This MP50 meeting was recorded (www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbuMCZUyeb8)
USACE Section 111 Charrette is scheduled for March 10/11 Duluth, MN. 9 – 4, facilitated by USACE. 20 – 25 individuals have been invited to attend by the City of Duluth and USACE. Paul Treuer, representing Park Point Community Club, will report to PPCC and MP50. Mike Allis, USACE Project Lead on the Section 111 Study, outlined the Charette goals and objectives:
Goals:
1. Initiate the first iteration of the planning process for the study.
2. Begin building a coherent and effective project delivery team, including critical roles for both sponsors, stakeholders, and USACE colleagues.
3. Set expectations and establish a fresh, constructive approach to this study.
4. Provide a solid foundation for subsequent iterations of the planning process, scheduling of study milestones, and robust stakeholder engagement and public communication.
Planning Objectives:
1. Establish a planning process.
2. Define existing conditions, problems, opportunities, objectives, and constraints.
3. Generate possible management measures.
4. Develop an initial array of potential alternatives.
5. Introduce risk register.
Duluth Coastal Resilience Project
This Project is part of a $258,000 FEMA grant to the City of Duluth and St. Louis County to find solutions to shoreline collapse. The study will include evaluation of the bayside of the Park Point Recreation Area and determine mitigation options for storm surge-related flooding and erosion. Funding will pay for the areas of interest to be studied while determining solutions with the help of consultants. It will set the City and its partners up to apply for funding that would assist in implementing the study’s outcomes.
The first Public Meeting of the Duluth Coastal Resilience Project was on Feb. 16, 7:00 PM. A recording of this meeting is posted on the Duluth Coastal Resilience Project Webpage under Meetings: (https://duluthcoastalinfrastructureresilience.com/)
Minnesota Izaak Walton League Resolution (Jan. 30, 2022)
The State Chapter of the Izaak Walton League approved 7 resolutions about the disposal of dredge material for beach nourishment on Minnesota Point and its impact on Lake Superior.
First resolution: Oppose the disposal of dredge material from the Duluth-Superior Harbor for beach nourishment on Minnesota Point because it contains fines contaminated with legacy pollutants whose impact on Lake Superior are unknown, and because fine-grained river sediments erode off the beach too quickly.
Second resolution: Support beach nourishment to protect the residents of Minnesota Point if it is done with clean material such as sediment from Lake Superior or washed sediment from the Erie Pier Contained Disposal Facility (CDF); and if it is coarse enough to emulate natural longshore drift sediments that will stabilize and remain longer on the beach.
The full document is posted at the Minnesota Izaak Walton League Issues/Resolutions website (https://sites.google.com/view/minnesotaikes/issues/issues-resolutions)
Infrastructure Funds for USACE and Erie Pier
Fox News reported on Feb. 8, 2022 that $19 Million in Federal Infrastructure Funding was awarded to the Port Authority of Duluth-Superior. $13M going to USACE vessel yard on the Duluth Harbor Basin-Superior Bay side of Park Point. $6 M goes to increasing capacity at the Erie Pier confined disposal facility (owned by Seaway Port Authority of Duluth & City of Duluth and operated by Detroit District USACE) to handle and transport dredging material.
Research on Geomorphology of St. Louis Harbor Project, Feb. 26, 2022
Photos:Warm up at Lafayette; Geomorphology of St. Louis Harbor Project, Feb. 26, 2022
Dr. Andrew Breckenridge (UWSuperior), Dr. Harry Jol (UW Eau Claire) and five UWS students conducted measurements along Park Point on Saturday, Feb. 26th to understand Geomorphology of the St. Louis Harbor. They are testing the hypothesis that there is a ridge and swale strandplain complex buried under the sediments in the St. Louis Harbor. This research builds on ground penetrating radar (GPR) studies done previously by Dr. Jol. Both studies contribute to a more precise understanding of how and when Minnesota and Wisconsin Points were formed. Dr. Breckenridge shared Geologic History of the Duluth Harbor (2016) providing excellent background information to this study.
Blatnik Bridge Context Study
Park Point Resident Charlene Roise wrote a comprehensive history of the Port for the Blatnik Bridge Project. The Blatnik Bridge Context Study is thoroughly researched; it provides context not only for the bridge project but also detailed information about the history of the area.
MP50, a subcommittee of the Park Point Community Club, is a learning community open and free to anyone interested in the resiliency of Minnesota Point. Diverse points of view are welcome. Contact Paul Treuer, MP50 coordinator, (paul.treuer@gmail.com) to share your ideas, materials, and/or questions, or to join the MP50 Working Group.
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