If you'd Ask Me
-Part 2
In the fall issue of Inkslinger, we asked you what your suggestions were for future byway projects. Because every project has costs associated with it, we also asked for funding suggestions, if you had some, to go along with your project ideas.
Below are the two ideas that were received.
 1. Create life-sized wooden character cut-outs based on the third deck of Byway playing cards featuring Paul Bunyan and his logging camp characters. The cut-outs would have a hole for the faces of those who would like their pictures taken as ‘Paul Bunyan’, ‘Lucette’, ‘Babe’ or any of the other ten characters on the playing cards. It would become a photo opportunity for tourists.
This suggestion did not include a funding source.
A specific location for the character cut-outs was not indicated, so the cutouts are being considered as portable items that could become part of town celebrations all along the byway.
The Byway Association has worked over the years with both the Pequot Lakes and Pine River high school art departments. In fact, a Pequot Lakes high school art student created the Paul Bunyan logging camp character renditions on the third deck of playing cards. Perhaps the art department would enjoy taking on this project. There may be sources of funding from arts groups in the area or from a patron who likes this form of art.
2. Develop two signs to be installed at two separate locations at Veterans Walking Trail along the PBSB’s County Road 16.
- One sign would be located on the island at the east end of the Wetlands Walk which was installed in 2006. That sign would tell about the role that Hay Creek played as part of an area wide transportation route over the past hundreds of years for native Americans, explorers like Zebulon Pike and area residents.
- The other sign would be located at the trailhead and would consist of three small panels within one sign frame. One panel would tell the story of the significant support given by the Dave and Mary Badger family to make this site a reality. Another panel would show a map of the site within the greater area and a map of the trails themselves. The third panel would tell the story of the support, both funds and work crews, this site has received from the Sons of the American Legion, Pequot Lakes Post.
Potential funding suggestions for this project were the DNR who is the current owner of the property and/or the Pequot Lakes American Legion.
The Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway Association appreciates these great suggestions. Anyone interested in learning more about either of these suggested projects and how to help fund them should contact the PBSBA at 218-543-4714 or email.
Buying at a Bargain
Grants allow organizations to complete projects at a real bargain. Total project costs can be shared among multiple funding sources.
The Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway Association is able to apply for grant funding for various projects through federal sources as well as state and local sources. Federal partners cover up to 80% of the total costs, leaving 20% as the local responsibility. State partners provide 40%-50% of the total costs, with the remainder being the local responsibility.
As with any good bargain, though, there’s more to consider than the good deal itself. The big consideration is the local match.
With projects ranging in costs from a couple thousand dollars for smaller things like brochure reprints, to over $50,000 for major plan development and implementation like the Corridor Management Plan, securing local match funding becomes a big job.
You can help. If you’re part of a township, city or organizational board, encourage your group to allocate annual funds to the PBSBA. Individuals and businesses can help through membership in the PBSBA and through additional yearly donations to specific projects or as an undesignated donation. Thank you for supporting the PBSBA‘s community projects.
Projects in Progress
- As of December 13, 2006, the Wetlands Walk, at Veterans Walking Trail now has four interpretive panels installed along the Walk. Thanks to Dave Badger, Bob Joens and Darrel Skallet for installing the panels and Mike Holst for assembling the panels and posts. In the spring, Badger will lead a work crew to install vegetative control fabric under the walkway sections. Sons of the American Legion-Pequot Lakes have supported this project.
- A Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway Tour Brochure will be available by early summer. The brochure style is a spin-off of the highly regarded Loess Hills brochure. Partially funded by a federal scenic byways grant, the required local match is $5000, representing 20% of the total project cost. Partial funding support has been received from the University of Minnesota’s Central Region Partnership. Support for the project idea was received from Whitefish Area Lodging Association and the Brainerd Lakes Area Chambers of Commerce.
- The Historic Mailcarrier Interpretation for Byway Visitors project is being coordinated by Dick Haskett, of Rice Creek Resources. Extensive research on area mail carrier, Ben Knebel, mailcarrier in the Whitefish area for 39 years, has yielded scenarios which are the basis of live interpretative performances beginning summer of 2007. This project is funded in part by a federal scenic byways grant with a major portion of the local match expected through the US Army COE
Handshake Program.
- An interpretive panel is being developed for Rice Lake, located on the south side of CSAH 11, east of Pequot Lakes. The panel message will focus on shallow water lakes and their unique ecology. Pam Perry, DNR, is the PBSBA advisor for development of text and graphics.
!!SITE HIGHLIGHT!!
Nearly 100 resources and points of interest have been identified
along the Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway route. Some of the spots
are well known such as the Uppgaard Wildlife Management Area
or the Crosslake Historic Log Village. Others are not as commonly
recognized.
Each of the quarterly issues of Inkslinger
will highlight one of these lesser known Byway points of interest.
 Pine River Chamber of Commerce Information Building
What could fit into the Byway area better than a log building? Maybe a log building filled with icons of local history, including the area’s first telephone.
This site’s grounds include the Pine River Depot Building which will likely move across the Paul Bunyan Trail and be restored within the next several years.
Located on the southwest corner of the only intersection in Pine River with a stoplight, the Chamber of Commerce Information building was selected by the State of Minnesota in 2004 as an official Explore Minnesota Affiliate Information Center.
Visitors can find information on local events, attractions, dining, lodging, shopping, free wireless, nice restrooms and of course, the history of the area. Chamber Director, John Wetrosky, has stories to share about the Russian snow sleigh, the local art gracing the walls, memorabilia from logging days, and even Paul Bunyan’s wooden baby boots!
If you’ve ever wondered about the age-old mystery of who shot George Barclay, the first mayor of Pine River, stop by and ask John Wetrosky to tell the story about the whole range of speculation from across the decades. Could the still undiscovered murder weapon be hidden beneath the Depot Building? Hmmm. Better stop by and find out more.
PBSB AROUND TOWN
- The PBSBA annual meeting was held at Antlers in Breezy Point on Nov. 13, 2006. Keynote speaker was Explore Minnesota Tourism Director, John Edman.
- On Oct. 10 and 11, 2006, Board members Lynn Scharenbroich and Wayne Chamberlain attended the Minnesota Scenic Byways conference at Douglas Lodge in Itasca State Park. Crow Wing County Engineer, Duane Blanck, was selected by the conference committee to be part of a panel there, presenting ideas for working with Byways.
- Dec. 7, 2006, the PBSBA participated for the first time in the Brainerd Area Chamber of Commerce’s Holiday Extravaganza held every year at Madden’s Town Hall. Board members Carol Ottoson and Lynn Scharenbroich created an exhibit table showcasing Byway art, playing cards and other Byway projects.
Paul Bunyan-Sized Thanks to:
Kristi Kraemer, Wayne Chamberlain, Ray Nelson and Rod Nelson for kicking off the development of a Byway and Corps exhibit room at the Crosslake Corps Bldg’s Multi-purpose Room.
Steve and Jo Blanich, Deerwood, for their year-long review of the area’s birds for the upcoming reprint of the PBSBA’s Birds of the Byway brochure.
Former Senator Carrie Ruud for her strong public support of the Byway.
Dates to Remember
Invitations to township/city meetings:
February 6 - 6:30pm Pequot Lakes
February 12 - 7:00pm Crosslake
February 12 - 7:45pm Jenkins
March 13 - 8:00pm Ideal Township
May 20-23, 2007 - National Scenic Byways Conference in Baltimore, MD. Registration and lodging details available in at
www.bywaysonline.org or 1-800-4BYWAYS, ext.5, then press 4.
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