Located to the east of the McMorran Place Entertainment Center, the McMorran Plaza is an attractive yet perhaps underused space in the public life of downtown Port Huron.
But that’s set to change thanks to redevelopment efforts currently underway. According to Port Huron’s Parks and Recreation Director Nancy Winzer, the city is currently in the process of selecting an architectural firm to put together bid packages for the project, with the goal to start construction by spring 2019.
While the final design has yet to be determined, what is known is that McMorran Plaza will eventually be home to the region’s only permanent outdoor ice-skating rink. Other planned amenities include gathering spaces and a place for events.
The goal, says Winzer, is to make the plaza more user-friendly.
"This is important in the fact that downtown Port Huron is making a comeback and the redevelopment of McMorran Plaza will only enhance what’s going on," she says.
"Building a recreation area for people living and working downtown could be a huge economic driver."
The plaza aesthetics won’t be radically altered but instead readjusted. McMorran Plaza is rich in history, McMorran says, and one of the goals is to accentuate the statues and architecture in order to bring visitors closer to that history.
The plaza remodel is being made possible through a combination of donations and grants, including $350,000 in grants from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation. The city is still accepting donations.
"We want to make McMorran Plaza the town square," Winzer says.
The plaza is on the east end of the McMorran Place Entertainment Center, which is located at 701 McMorran Blvd. in downtown Port Huron.
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