A groundbreaking ceremony for the Kids Cove Playground will be held at Mattson Lower Harbor park on Tuesday, September 5 at 11 a.m. The public is invited to attend. This will commence the closure of the playground for removal and reconstruction.

The Kids Cove Playground at Mattson Lower Harbor Park will be closed to the public at noon on Tuesday, September 5, to facilitate the removal of the current playground. The project is expected to be completed by mid-July of 2024. The playground area will be closed until the completion of the new Kids Cove playground.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, September 5 and 6, the Bluff Street Parking Ramp will be closed for surface repairs. No parking will be allowed in the Upper Level, and only Lower Level Reserved Permit Holders will be allowed to park in the Lower Level. A few areas in the lower level will be blocked off for repairs, and lower level reserved permit holders may not have access to their assigned spot but can park in other available spots.

Permit holders who normally park on the Upper Level can park in the Commons Parking Lot, the South Main Street Parking Lot, the Spring Street Parking Lot, the Lakeshore Parking Lot, the Baraga Avenue Parking Lot or the Rock Street Parking Lot.

Hourly Parking will not be available in the Lower Level of the Bluff Street Ramp during these repairs.

The Marquette Public Arts Commission (MPAC) is seeking a qualified artist or artist team to design, create and install a dragonfly-based site-specific artwork at the Kids Cove Playground, Mattson Park, in Marquette, Michigan.

MPAC would like to commission artwork that complements the new all-inclusive Kids Cove Playground in Mattson Park. The goal of the sculpture is to engage the City and its visitors, creating a sense of wonder and joy to reinforce the positivity of play while honoring Joani Reynolds Miller, a retired preschool teacher who had a vision of making life for children with disabilities more inclusive in our community. Further information about the Kids Cove Playground can be found at: https://www.kidscovemqt.com/.

Individuals with demonstrated professional experience must provide a letter of interest, along with evidence of qualifications to be considered by MPAC for this call for art. Three finalists will be selected and compensated for their design proposals.

The full RFQ can be found online at the following link: www.marquettemi.gov/departments/financial-services/bids-proposals-quotes/.

Artist applications must be submitted by October 27, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. Artists can submit qualifications by emailing a PDF document to tmorin@marquettemi.gov.

All questions regarding this RFQ should be addressed to: Tiina Morin, Arts & Culture Manager
Phone: 906-225-8641 E-Mail: tmorin@marquettemi.gov.

Questions must be submitted at least three (3) business days prior to the RFQ submission
deadline.

On Thursday, August 10, from 6-8 p.m. the Peter White Public Library (PWPL) and the City of Marquette Office of Arts and Culture will be hosting the opening receptions for the three art galleries within the walls of PWPL. The Deo Gallery is owned by the City of Marquette and is located in the lower level of the PWPL in the City’s Arts & Culture Center; it is supported by the Lake Superior Art Association. Light refreshments provided. Receptions are free and open to the public. Exhibits will be on display August 1 through the end of September.

EXHIBITS:

• The Deo Gallery: Antony Aumann, Inner Turmoil, Outer Beauty: Portraits of Contradiction
  Oil pastel portraits. Artist Talk at 7:00pm
• Huron Mountain Club Gallery (Main floor): Daric Christian, Cell Phone Photography
• Lower Level Lobby Gallery (Outside the Deo Gallery): Tamara Lee Niemi, Exaltation of Life Scenes

The Open/Public skating session scheduled for Saturday, July 29, from 3 to 5 p.m. has been canceled.    

Spring Street between Third Street and Front Street will be closed from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. on July 29, for the Queen City Half Marathon.

Spring Street from Front Street through Lakeshore Boulevard will also be closed, and Lakeshore Boulevard and Front Street will both be closed to through traffic between Main Street and Baraga Avenue from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m.

The course heads south on the City multiuse path, turns around near South Beach Park and continues north following the path to Presque Isle Park. Runners will run around Peter White Drive and return on the path, head west on Hawley street following the path to Wright Street, then Washington Street and back to the finish area on Spring Street.

Motorists are advised to use caution at road crossings and to be alert for runners and road crossing attendants.

The following streets will be closed to traffic on Friday, July 28, from 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. for the Blueberry Festival:

Washington Street from Third Street to Front Street
Front Street from Washington Street to Spring Street

The following streets will be closed to through traffic:

Front Street from Bluff Street to Washington Street
Main Street from Third Street to Lakeshore Boulevard
Front Street from Baraga Avenue to Spring Street

Traffic will be detoured using Baraga Avenue and Third Street.

To ensure no cars are parked in the event area and to allow for vendor set-up Friday morning, parking will be prohibited on the 100 block of West Washington Street and the 100 and 200 blocks of South Front Street after 2 a.m. on Thursday, July 27.

Lakeshore Boulevard will be closed to through traffic for tree work between Main Street and East Ridge Street on Tuesday, July 25. Craig Street will also be closed to through traffic for a sanitary main repair between Adams Street and Division Street on Tuesday, July 25. Both closures begin at 7 a.m., and both projects are expected to be completed by the end of day.

The piers at Founders Landing will be closed to the public at 6 p.m. on July 3, which includes all pedestrian and boat traffic. This closure is to ensure public safety due to the close proximity of the fireworks.

Beginning at 7:00 a.m. on Monday, April 17, 2023, work will begin on a city-wide sidewalk repair and extension project.

This project will include replacement of various sidewalk squares throughout the city. The motoring public should experience minimal disruptions. Sidewalk removal areas will be clearly marked with construction cones to warn pedestrians.

Construction plans can be accessed at the City of Marquette Engineering Division web site: https://www.marquettemi.gov/departments/community-development/engineering/

Premeau Construction is the general contractor for this project.

Please take caution when traveling through construction areas and to be alert for advisory signage.