Folks in Chisholm aren’t standing around with their hands in their pockets.

They’re pulling together to help revitalize the city.

With live music, sun shining, and an appreciative crowd on hand, a downtown revitalization committee on Friday, Aug. 11 opened an innovative pocket park in the heart of downtown. 

“I walk in here, and all I can say is 'wow,’” said Chisholm Mayor Todd Scaia. “I never thought a 25-foot lot could look so great. Words can’t describe it.” 

Within the park is a stage for musical and fine arts performances, hand-made wooden benches mounted on taconite-filled baskets, planters, and three early-era street lights, all on a textured slab. Art panels depicting Iron Range life will be added.

The pocket park is part of a larger effort by the Chisholm Downtown Revitalization Committee to improve quality of life and make the city even more attractive to residents and visitors.

Signage for a historical walking tour of the city is already up, and audio for the tour is being added. 

Improvements at Kiwanis Park, bicycle racks which look like mining shovel buckets, storefront clean-up projects, painting of downtown buildings, and the placement of historical photos in downtown storefronts, are also part of the revitalization.

“It’s really nice to see so many people doing such nice things to make our downtown look nice,” said Sen. David Tomassoni. “I just think this is a beautiful thing, and we can use it for all kinds of events. On behalf of the Iron Range delegation, we’re all really, really happy to be a part of this and thank you for giving back to the town.”

Other communities undergoing downtown revitalization projects are Ely, Eveleth, Hibbing, Tower, and Virginia.

Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation is supporting the revitalization projects with Downtown and Business Corridor grants. Applications for the FY18 Downtown and Business Corridor Grant Program will be accepted Nov. 1-30. 

A pre-application meeting is encouraged with Whitney Ridlon, Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation Community Development representative. She can be reached at 218-735-3004 or whitney.ridlon@state.mn.us.

Looking to start a business on the Iron Range? 

Then don't miss the second in a series of small business forums slated for Thursday, Aug. 31 at Minnesota Discovery Center in Chisholm. 

Entrepreneurs on Tap is being hosted by the Recharge the Range Small Business Strategies Action Group. 

The forum, titled “Starting Your Business on the Iron Range," features a panel discussion led by Anna Anderson of Art Unlimited in Cook. 

Panelists include: Megan Kellin, Lake Time Magazine, Lake Bride Magazine, Rapids Hotel and Lake & Co.; Keny Adams, Country Kitchen Franchises; and Carol Carlson, Comet Theater. 

They will speak about real experiences of successful startups, effective tips and tools for bootstrapping, crowdfunding how tos and available resources. 

Doors open at 5 p.m., and complimentary appetizers will be served. The forum will run from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., followed by an opportunity for additional networking.

The event is free to the public, but registration is requested. 

View the event flyer.

Register for Entrepreneurs on Tap.

Non-profit organizations with culture and tourism projects are encouraged to apply for an Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation Culture and Tourism grant.  

The program assists non-profits in the agency's service area by supporting arts, culture, heritage and recreational activities. Grant awards range from $2,500 to $15,000. 

In FY17, the Culture and Tourism program funded 28 projects including restoring a Mississippi showboat in Aitkin, constructing the Ely Area Veterans Memorial, and supporting Mesabi Musical Theatre's "Xanadu" dinner theatre production (pictured above.)

View a complete listing of FY17 Culture and Tourism projects.  

The application window for the FY18 funding cycle opens on Friday, Sept. 1 and runs through Friday, Sept. 29. A second funding cycle will be held in March 2018. 

Learn more about the Culture and Tourism Grant Program and other IRRRB grant opportunities.

Because not everyone on the Iron Range has access to high-speed internet, local communities are working together to improve that access and provide faster speeds. 

The Iron Range Broadband Communities project area includes all residents that live within the Hibbing, Mountain Iron–Buhl, and Chisholm school districts and Cherry Township.

To measure the current level of interest in higher speed internet access, the team is conducting a survey, which is available to every household in the project area.  

The survey is designed to get opinions on current and needed internet access and seeks responses. 

Residents have two ways to complete this brief survey:

• Stop by the Cherry Town Hall or the Hibbing, Chisholm, Mountain Iron, Buhl or Kinney public libraries to fill out a paper copy
• Complete the survey online

The survey deadline is Aug. 31, 2017.

Learn more about the Iron Range Broadband Communities project.