What's happening: The Village of Laurium is looking to install the first splash pad on the Keweenaw Peninsula. The all-inclusive splash pad would better utilize a part of the George Gipp Recreation Area to help add to the area’s playgrounds and family spaces. To fund the project, the village partnered with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation to match funds from a crowdsourcing fundraising campaign through Patronicity.
What is Patronicity: Based out of Detroit, Patronicity is a crowdfunding platform used primarily for civic projects to help add or improve public spaces across Michigan and the United States. The money usually collected from Patronicity crowdfunding is used to obtain matching grants from public and private sources, allowing communities to pool financial resources for growth. Other communities in the Upper Peninsula have used the platform in the past for various improvement projects, including the Soo Lock’s Children Museum, Gladstone Area Pickleball Courts and the Lower Harbor fish cleaning station in Marquette.
What they're saying: “Splash pads are important spaces of public recreation during the summertime in Michigan,” said Paula Holtz, who is managing director Prosperity for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. “They provide refuge from heat and a welcoming space for gathering. We are pleased to support and provide resources for this expansion project through our Public Spaces Community Places program.”
What's next: If the campaign reaches its $18,000 goal by July 13, the effort will receive a matching grant from MEDC’s Public Spaces Community Places (PSCP) program to complete the project. To donate, visit the Laurium Splash Pad Patronicity page at
patronicity.com/laurium.
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