The International Falls Area Gateway Corridor Task Force has reviewed final designs and is seeking public comment before starting an implementation phase.
The task force is working to create an attractive, tourist friendly feel to U.S. Highway 53, and Minnesota Highway 11 east access points to Rainy Lake and Voyageurs National Park. The list of projects includes improvements to aesthetics, pedestrian safety, connectivity, economic impact and community character.
View the gateway project in detail and comment online at www.arrowheadplanning.org/gateway.
The International Falls welcome center is the corridor anchor project that the task force is now proposing for downtown rather than its original South Falls plan at Highway 53 and County Road 24.
The downtown wayside and travel information center would sit across from Falls Lumber on the former Frederic Hotel site. The current building is owned by the Minnesota Department of Transportation and was once used as a state welcome center. The task force is conducting a feasibility study and is approaching the city and MnDOT about transferring the building to a local entity.
Terry Stone, a local business owner and chairman of the task force, said the new location is consistent with the site plan opportunity for the Highway 53/11 intersection. The task force wants to draw people downtown, and other factors to consider would be the availability of state and federal transportation safety grants.
“The task force always felt that (the welcome center) should be an integral part to gateway improvement,” said Stone. “Ideally, I believe the state will be amenable to giving it to the city.”
The task force wants the center to integrate downtown with the gateway to Rainy River, Rainy Lake and Canada. It would have parking room for cars and RVs and vehicles with boat trailers, and could house the local Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Center.
“If that is downtown, then it solves a multitude of problems,” Stone added.
Another emerging priority is the renovation of the fire tower at Black Bay, Rainy Lake. The task force would like the local landmark to become a destination draw for sightseeing and photographers.
The land and tower offers a great view of Rainy Lake, and Stone called the site a “hidden jewel” for tourism.
“As kids, we had the chance to walk there and see the view,” said Stone. “Now we can see that as part of the project development and everyone is enthused.”
Now owned by the Department of Transportation, the site is no longer used for fire spotting and is a base for communications equipment. The $175,000 renovation would require extensive safety and access modifications. Landscaping would reduce the steep grade and allow a possible bicycle trail extension. It would also have a picnic and rest area.
The fire tower idea emerged at a West Virginia Gateway workshop attended a few years ago by several local leaders. Other projects discussed at that workship included improving Tilson Creek Trail and Jackfish Bay. Task force members want to take advantage of historical and scenic areas with existing boat landings and piers, and then add signage and picnic tables.
The importance of the committee input was clear with the unanticipated emergence of the fire tower as the single biggest idea to come out of the task force meetings, said Pete Schultz, director of the CVB.
“It is a spectacular attraction with breathtaking views of every direction of Rainy Lake,” he added.
MnDOT offered corridor video footage to aid the task force with work on pedestrian safety and dangerous intersections, lighting, crosswalks and project opportunities. The video also helped to categorize properties along the corridor and label conditions as “okay”, “nice”, or “blighted.”
Around half of the corridor land use is defined residential. A third is commercial, and less than 15 percent is defined as vacant or with no designation. Around a quarter is designated vacant and 11 percent was identified as blight.
“It is difficult to determine where blight truly exists,” said Stone.
ARDC identified 15 areas where the city enforced existing blight ordinances with letters to property owners.
“It is a difficult thing to tackle but I would love to see everything look nice and orderly,” said Andy Hubley, a senior planner with the Arrowhead Regional Development Commission, a Duluth based organization that was recruited to develop a design plan, architectural renderings and cost estimates for recommended improvements. “That would lead to a cohesive atmosphere for the community.”
Hubley said the task force does not want a themed look for the corridor, and would rather maintain its natural look but “greener, cleaner and nicer, with visual aesthetics, natural tones and hues.”
“We want beautification and we want aesthetics corridors,” he said. “We want it to be attractive and pedestrian friendly.”
Other plans include Highway 53 streetscape, sidewalk extensions and two small parks between 11th and 17th Streets. The park would have boulevard trees, pedestrian lighting, brick paving, benches and planters.
The task force has plans for nontraditional travelers, the seasonal all terrain vehicles, snowmobile and bicycle riders and hikers. It plans an interpretive display and to converge as a welcome center.
Nearly 40 members comprise the task force. They include private citizens, business owners, city and county government officials, and representatives from Rainy River Community College, Voyageurs National Park, CVB, chambers of commerce, Boise Inc., MnDOT, and Explore Minnesota Tourism.
Stone said there was some concern with the interpretation of the task force vision by ARDC architects in their renderings. It was a matter of communication about use of local materials and avoiding an urban look in the design.
“This is a road map,” he said. “It is a start.”
Hubley said there are plenty of people that are passionate about improving the corridor and community. Now that designs and preliminary cost estimates are complete, he said individuals and groups are needed to “champion” the recommendations.
