Voyageur Country ATV Club completed two trail enhancement projects as part of a larger effort to build a regional system of wooded ATV/snowmobile trails and corridor routes connecting the communities of Cook, Orr, Buyck, Crane Lake, Camp Five, Cusson, Ash River and Kabetogama. Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation supported the project with a $154,300 Regional Trails grant to Saint Louis County. Total project investment was $308,600.

The first project enhanced a 1.9-mile stretch of trail located north and west of Myrtle Lake along the Arrowhead David Dill Trail corridor near Crane Lake Township. Ditches, culverts, additional gravel and trail hardening improved the terrain and created safer sightlines. A new snowmobile shelter and rest area with picnic tables and a fire ring were added along the trail.

The second project enhanced a 6-mile snowmobile link connecting the resort community of Crane Lake with the United States Forest Service Vermilion Falls Recreation & Picnic Area. Culvert and trail hardening improved the link, which is connected to a 256-foot elevated boardwalk over a beaver pond area that was constructed in 2020. The final phase of this second project is still underway with the addition of overlooks and picnic tables at the elevated boardwalk to provide visitors scenic views at the pond site. (The boardwalk was funded by ATV user fees and a grant from the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources.)

“The trails surrounding the Crane Lake area positively affect the local economy by increasing demand by local residents and tourists for lodging, food and fuel,” said Bruce Beste, Voyageur Country ATV Club board member and project manager. “The trails grants from Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation make projects like ours achievable.”

Voyageur Country ATV Club is based in Crane Lake and oversees the ATV and snowmobile trails from International Falls and Orr to Ely and Cook. It is one of three area ATV clubs that are collaborating to fully connect their trail systems. Quad Cities ATV Club (Virginia, Eveleth, Gilbert, Mountain Iron), Prospector Trail Alliance (Ely, Babbitt, Embarrass, Tower, Soudan) and Voyageur Country ATV Club will soon be connected to one another and to the Iron Range Off-Highway Vehicle State Recreation Area in Gilbert which is also undergoing a major expansion. All of the trails will be environmentally permitted. When fully completed, 1,000 miles of ATV trail will be linked and span across northeastern Minnesota, making it one of the largest interconnected trail systems in the nation.

For Regional Trails grant information email Jim Plummer or call him at 218-274-7006.

Local nonprofit organization Finland Minnesota Historical Society (FMHS) made capital improvements to a 40-acre historic site that is utilized by local residents and tourists. The project included construction of ten picnic tables, replacement of split rail fencing that encircles the site, establishment of native plant gardens, and development of educational signage throughout the site and along the nature trail. Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation supported the project with a $7,500 Culture & Tourism grant.

FMHS operates Finland Heritage Site as part of its guardianship and preservation of the Finland community’s history and heritage. The site is host to education, cultural and community events that impact tourism, the local economy and quality of life.

Local businesses were contracted for the project. A nursery based in nearby Two Harbors installed the garden. Other area businesses were utilized for the picnic table construction, fence construction and installation, and signage design.

Other Finland Heritage Site capital improvement project partners included the Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation and Cooperative Light & Power.

Finland is an unincorporated village of 200 people along Minnesota’s North Shore. Small, very rural and off-the-beaten-path, Finland is six miles inland from Lake Superior along Highway 1. It is part of the North Shore and Boundary Waters tourism industry. Finland tourists enjoy visiting the 100-year-old Finland Cooperative which is Minnesota’s oldest continuously operating co-op.

There is a community center with a farmer’s market and recreational programs, four unique restaurants and two annual festivals: St. Urho’s Day in March and Harvest Booya and Car Show in September. Also in Finland is Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center, the first of its kind in America to be accredited as a K-12 school. It is recognized nationally and internationally as a leader in environmental education, and more than 15,000 children, teachers and parent chaperones visit the campus each school year.

For Culture & Tourism grant information email Danae Beaudette for grant information or call her at 218-735-3022.

Strong arts, culture, history and recreational activities are essential to the quality of life and economy of our region. Eight projects were recently awarded Culture & Tourism grants.

• Crane Lake Township: $2,707 to develop a logo and website with reservation software for the new National Park Visitor Center and Campground.
• Chisholm Kids Plus: $30,000 to construct a community splash pad.
• Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center: $30,000 to construct a new adventure ropes course and to make safety upgrades to an existing course.
• Revive Virginia: $3,400 to launch an advertising campaign for First Thursday Art Crawl, a series of downtown community events featuring musical performances and artisan demonstrations.
• City of Babbitt: $2,125 to construct welcome and directional signage for a new campground.
• Cuyuna Lakes Pickleball Association: $25,800 to construct a six-court pickleball center in Ironton.
• City of Aurora: $25,436 to make improvements to the ice skating rink and add a parking lot for the splash pad at Pine Grove Park.
• Nashwauk Township: $10,750 to add new equipment and a pavilion space at the ADA-accessible Cloverdale Park.

Does your community have a project that improves the region’s arts, culture or recreation? Learn more about Culture & Tourism grants. For information email Danae Beaudette or call her at 218-735-3022.

Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation funds Culture & Tourism grants through taxes paid by Minnesota’s mining industry.

Pictured: Friends of the Edna G in Two Harbors was awarded a Culture & Tourism grant last year to launch an advertising campaign for the 125th anniversary celebration of the historic Edna G Tugboat.