The City of Marquette is thrilled to announce Upper Peninsula Health Plan's (UPHP) sponsorship of the Artists in Excellence (AIE) program, demonstrating their commitment to community health and youth development. AIE is a cross-district initiative, collaborates with Marquette, Negaunee, Gwinn, and Ishpeming High Schools to provide unique arts-based extracurricular experiences to upperclassmen who have demonstrated a high level of commitment to their artistic studies. Administered by the City of Marquette Office of Arts and Culture in partnership with local art teachers, AIE aims to empower students through art and creativity, helping them build relationships, develop leadership skills, explore culture, inspire creative careers, showcase their art, and support school arts programs.

Under UPHP's sponsorship, students will engage in monthly field trips and regular social meet-ups, learn from guest teachers and speakers, gain insights into local creative careers, and lead a community art project. This partnership aligns with UPHP's mission to enhance community well-being and nurture youth creativity, contributing to a healthier and more vibrant Upper Peninsula.

For more information about the Artists in Excellence program,

visit www.mqtcompass.com/artists-in-excellence

For more information about UPHP, please visit www.uphp.com

The regular meeting of the City of Marquette Brownfield Redevelopment Authority Board has been scheduled to meet on Wednesday, October 25, 2023.  The meeting will be held at 8:00 a.m. at the Municipal Service Center, 1100 Wright Street, Marquette, MI. 49855. This meeting will replace the regularly scheduled October meeting that would have taken place on Thursday, October 19. 

Halloween Trick-or-Treating in the city of Marquette is scheduled for Tuesday, October 31, 2023.  The recommended hours to be observed for Trick-or-Treating are from 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Motorists, please anticipate heavy pedestrian traffic during this time; be extra cautious when entering and exiting driveways. We recommend turning on headlights earlier in the day and driving slowly through neighborhoods.

For the children's safety, parents are encouraged to accompany them while Trick-or-Treating and share the following safety tips:

• Never approach someone in a car who is offering candy
•  Trick-or-treat only at houses with porch lights on and never enter a stranger’s home
• Inspect all treats before allowing children to eat them
• Consider placing reflective tape on costumes
•  Walk, don’t run, from house to house
• Be sure children can see through mask eye-openings, and check for costume trip hazards
• Always stay on sidewalks and look both ways before crossing streets

The City of Marquette has been approved for a $458,800 award from the Michigan Spark Grants Program (Spark grant), administered by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, to revitalize the under-utilized Father Marquette/Lion's Lakeside Park and transform the vacant, former Marquette Chamber of Commerce building into a community gateway and regional recreation trailhead. Michigan Spark Grants help local communities create, renovate, and redevelop public recreation opportunities for residents and visitors and are made possible by the Building Michigan Together Plan which infuses federal funding in state and local parks.

The Project will rehabilitate a vacant, blighted, public and historic building in South Marquette and will transform the surrounding park space into community gateway and connecting trailhead for several local and regional trail systems including the new Cultural Trail. Main components include: 1) paved trail spur that connects to regional trail systems, 2) ADA accessible public bathroom, 3) trailhead information kiosk and entry sign both with solar lighting, 4) reconfiguring the existing parking lot for better traffic flow and improved stormwater management, 5) adding green infrastructure (bioswales, rain garden, native plant, shrub and tree species, etc.) to improve existing landscaping, habitat conditions and on-site stormwater treatment, and 6) public water station/drinking fountain for filling water bottles

The Spark Grant will complement the RAP 2.0 award, ensuring a revitalized and improved public space inside and out at the historic and culturally significant site. The City Arts and Culture, Parks and Recreation Divisions will be the lead on the project. Superior Watershed Partnership assisted with the successful grant proposal.

On October 18, the Bluff Street Ramp elevator/stair tower on the west side of the ramp will be temporarily closed at the Bluff Alley level for door repairs.  We will reopen this level as soon as the repairs are done.  Please use caution around the repair work.

The Rubbish drop off site for the City of Marquette is nearing the end of the season.  Please note that the site will close at 6 PM during the week due to reduced hours of daylight. The final day open is Saturday, October 28.

The remaining schedule for the rubbish drop off site will be as follows:

• Saturday, October 14, 1 PM – 4 PM
• Monday, October 16, 3 PM – 6 PM
• Wednesday, October 18, 3 PM – 6 PM
• Monday, October 23, 3 PM – 6 PM
• Wednesday, October 25, 3 PM – 6 PM
• *ADDED* Saturday, October 28, 1 PM – 4 PM

The Compost drop off site will continue to be open on Tuesdays from

3 PM – 6 PM and on Saturdays from 9 AM – 1 PM through Saturday, November 11^th, weather permitting. 

The site will reopen in the spring and a new schedule will be posted.  

The southbound lane of Front Street between Main Street and Spring Street will be closed Thursday, October 12, 2023, from 6:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Southbound traffic will be detoured around the closure via Main Street, Third Street, and Baraga Avenue. Northbound traffic on Front Street will remain unaffected.

The public is advised to take caution when traveling through this area and to be alert for construction and advisory signing.

The City of Marquette has been approved for a $583,750 Revitalization and Placemaking Program (RAP) award from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) to transform the vacant Marquette Chamber building located in Father Marquette City Park into a vibrant public space for the Arts, Recreation and Sustainable Downtown Development. This is the second round of the RAP grant and is awarded for ‘public space place-based infrastructure for a single project in a traditional downtown’.

The Project will rehabilitate a vacant, blighted, public and historic building in South Marquette and will serve as a local cultural resource hub and economic pipeline that funnels visitors to the business district in downtown Marquette. The Project site provides 1) a new gateway to downtown Marquette, 2) a new Cultural Center for Marquette, 3) a new regional 4-season trailhead. This project will provide the community with a new-centrally located public venue for a wide range of events that will significantly grow the tax base, contribute to the vitality of the downtown district, and reactivate a public space in the heart of the City. The project will include Low Impact Development, ADA/Universal Design and green materials and native landscaping.

The City Community Services Department will be the lead on the project in cooperation with the Office of Arts and Culture. Superior Watershed Partnership assisted with the successful grant proposal.

Due to predicted inclement weather on Saturday, October 7, the static display at Harlow Park will be canceled. Your safety and enjoyment of our outdoor program is important to us.

It has been rescheduled to Saturday, October 14 in the same location from 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.. We hope to see you and your families there! 

Remember: October is Fire Prevention Month! Practice two ways out in the event of a fire. Know your meeting place. Talk about fire safety around your home.

The Saturday Morning Farmers Market on October 7 is canceled due to the weather forecast.

While the Downtown Marquette Farmers Market has a rain-or-shine policy, rain mixed with dangerously high winds is where the line is drawn. The Saturday Morning Market plans to be back next week, October 14 from 9-1 PM at the Marquette Commons.

To learn more about the DMFM visit. www.mqtfarmersmarket.com. To stay up to date with market happenings follow the Downtown Marquette Farmers Market on Instagram, @mqtfarmersmarket, or at www.facebook.com/mqtfarmersmarket. 

For more information about the Downtown Marquette Farmers Market, please get in touch with Sara Johnson, Market Manager at (906) 228-9475 ext. 105 or farmersmarket@downtownmarquette.org