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Monday, Feb. 8, 2010

Ice sailors

                                                                                                       Photo by David Michael Hetler

A group of ice sailors converged on Lake Charlevoix at Boyne City on Jan. 9, to compete in ice racing. One ice sailor, John Call from Maumee, Ohio, said Lake Charlevoix was the only lake that he knew of with “good ice,” that is, ice that is smooth, with no holes and that is clear of snow.

City talks DDA-Main Street, hotel and M-75

By B. J. Conley

The Dilworth Hotel came up for discussion at a city commission meeting on Jan. 26, because commissioners said they have heard from citizens asking if the city has purchased or is going to purchase the historic downtown building.

The citizens’ interest in the Dilworth Hotel is high and commissioner Mike Cummings asked for clarification of the status of the hotel. Mayor Chuck Vondra said he, too, had heard people speaking about the hotel’s future.

“There is much discussion about the hotel. It was at the top of the list at the goal-setting session,” Vondra said, referring to the city-wide meeting held on Jan. 19.

City manager Michael Cain said the city had not purchased the hotel, nor were there any plans to do so at this time. The hotel is up for sale by a private owner. Cain said he thought the state of Michigan has grants that potential buyers can pursue, because the hotel’s history goes back to the booming lumbering era of the early 1900s.

The city is concerned about deterioration of the Dilworth Hotel from the lack of maintenance and is looking at solutions to stabilize it.

In another matter, Cain said that there were questions from the public regarding costs associated with the façades improvements on downtown buildings.

“All the cost for the improvements is being paid for by the property owner and the state, using CDB grant dollars,” Cain said. “Neither the Main Street Program nor the city is paying for any of these improvements.”

Weather

See below

The Dilworth Hotel in downtown Boyne City waits for glory days to come again. The hotel is for sale and its history dates back to the early 1900s when the town was booming in the lumbering era. This photo shows part of the lobby area.