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 Contact GACofC:

 

Patricia F. Nelson,
Executive Director
110 W. Superior Street
P.O. Box 516
Alma, MI 48801
PH: +1 (989) 463-5525
FX: +1 (989) 463-6588
Email: chamber@gratiot.org

 

 

Greater Gratiot Development, Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alma Action Association

 

By Jeff Naessens Alma Action Chair

and Aeric Ripley Asst. City Manager

 

The year 2006 in Alma will be remembered as one of the busiest in recent years.  There are many great activities happening and many projects are underway with other projects being planned.  Already this spring the Alma Community hosted the Highland Festival and Games.

 

Up next for the community is the Alma Sesquicentennial Celebration July 11th-15th.  The schedule is full of great things to do for the whole family.  On July 11, the celebration starts off with a talk by David McMacken in Wright Park entitled “If You Had Lived in Alma Then”. Then on July 12, The Farmers Market on Woodworth Avenue will be open from 7am to 1pm.  There will also be a teen dance in Wright Park from 7-11pm with a video DJ.  Then on July 13, Whispering Pines Petting Zoo will be in Wright Park and the movie “Madagascar” will be shown outdoors next to the Alma True Value Hardware. 

 

Friday and Saturday July 14th and 15th will be the biggest days for the celebration.  On Friday at 11am, Opening Ceremonies will be in Wright Park.  Also in the Wright Park will be kids games, a craft show and food wagons.  Downtown on State Street, the Great Lakes Timber Show will perform.  We have lined up a full day of music being performed on State Street and at Zak and Jakes Superior Perk.  Friday night there will be a free concert in Wright Park with the New Moonshine Band and Family Tradition performing from 7pm-Midnight.  A Hospitality Tent will be open from 6:30pm-1:00am in Wright Park.

 

Saturday morning starts with a fishing derby at 6:30am at the Pine River Boat Launch.  The parade is at 10:30am with the Cops and Rodders Car Show from noon to 4pm on Superior Street.  The kid games, craft show and food wagons will again be in Wright Park.  From 1-4pm the Music Doctors will be performing in the hospitality tent, which is open from 12:30-9:30pm.  The Alma Note by Note Orchestra will perform from 7:30-9:30pm in Wright Park.  They will be doing pieces that represent each year with a narration of what was happening in Alma at that time.  Also that evening you will be able to take tethered hot air balloon rides at the middle school fields from 7-9pm.  Round trip Train Rides will also be available from Alma to Ashley (two trips) and Alma to Shepherd.  For information on the music schedule for Friday and more up-to-date information please visit the Alma 150th website at www.alma150th.com.                   

 

On the website you can find everything about the celebration including a historical timeline, some historical pictures, and the schedule of events along with the events locations.  The merchandise for the celebration is available on the website.  The items available are as follows: Mason Drinking Jars - $5.00, Lapel Pin - $5.00, Coffee Mug - $8.00, T-Shirts – S-XL $10.00 XXL $13.00, Commemorative Plates (only 150) - $25.00 and bottled water $1.00.  The committee has also made available some historical material.  Two books will be available “Down Twelve Decades” for $8.00 and “Built on Pines” for $20.00.  New for the celebration, TV3 has produced four DVDs of Dave McMacken’s talks about the Alma area.  They are available for $10 each.  There is also the Alma 150th Commemorative Program $3.00.  These items are available at Alma City Hall, Alma True Value Hardware, Zak and Jake’s Superior Perk, and Saravilla B&B.  Lastly, the committee needs volunteers to help with some of the activities. If you would like to be a part of the 150th Celebration , please contact me at aripley@ci.alma.mi.us or call 463-8336.  Please leave a name, phone number and email address.

 

Many great city projects are underway:  the expansion of the Alma Public Library is in full swing with the foundations being poured.  As soon as the crews have completed the work along the river, Phase IV of the riverwalk can get underway.  The estimated time for completion of phase IV is this fall.  The first of downtown’s rental rehabilitation projects is underway at 216 E Superior.  When completed, there will be four remodeled apartments and a new façade on the building.  This will be a great enhancement to the building.  Bravehearts Pub just completed work fixing some bricks and repainting the building.  This alley will be looking better by the end of June.   The downtown will soon have a new tenant; Hungry Howies Pizza and Subs will be moving in to 128 E Superior Street (Southwest corner Woodworth and Superior).  Finally the Alma Iron and Metal move is progressing.  To help with the clean up on the site, the City has received an EPA Clean up Grant in the amount of $200,000.  This gets the community one step closer to the redevelopment of the riverfront. 

Again we encourage anyone who is interested in volunteering for the 150th to contact Aeric at city hall.  The committee only needs a few hours of your weekend to help with the events.  The committee also needs volunteers for the kids’ dunk tank on Friday and Saturday.  The shifts are half hour and the event is free for the kids.