Sagola Township preparing to debut new sledding hill
Our Town North Dickinson County
Sagola Township Supervisor Ryan Mulder looks over the new sledding hill that’s been constructed off Byers Road near Channing. The hill will have two runs, one faster and more steep, one a slower “slalom” with curves for younger children. The township plans to open the hill on weekends and school holidays once enough snow has fallen, Mulder said. (Betsy Bloom/Daily News photo)
An aerial view, taken by drone, of the sledding hill in Sagola Township as grass seeding and mats were being laid down. The curving slower run is on the left, while the steeper faster run is on the right. (Contributed photo)
The sign for the road to the new Sagola Township sledding hill near Channing. The posts for the yellow gate can be seen in the background. The entrance is on Byers Road across from the Channing Cemetery. (Betsy Bloom/Daily News photo)
The view from the bottom of the new Sagola Township sledding hill that’s been constructed off Byers Road near Channing. (Betsy Bloom/Daily News photo)
Sagola Township Supervisor Ryan Mulder looks over the new sledding hill that’s been constructed off Byers Road near Channing. The hill will have two runs, one faster and more steep, one a slower “slalom” with curves for younger children. The township plans to open the hill on weekends and school holidays once enough snow has fallen, Mulder said. (Betsy Bloom/Daily News photo)
An aerial view, taken by drone, of the sledding hill in Sagola Township as grass seeding and mats were being laid down. The curving slower run is on the left, while the steeper faster run is on the right. (Contributed photo)
The sign for the road to the new Sagola Township sledding hill near Channing. The posts for the yellow gate can be seen in the background. The entrance is on Byers Road across from the Channing Cemetery. (Betsy Bloom/Daily News photo)
The view from the bottom of the new Sagola Township sledding hill that’s been constructed off Byers Road near Channing. (Betsy Bloom/Daily News photo)
Trending
CHANNING -- A trip to the sewer lagoons late last year led to creation of Sagola Township's newest outdoor recreation site: a sledding hill.
Township Supervisor Ryan Mulder said he and maintenance worker Vincent Fellers were checking in December if timber near the ponds might be ready to harvest when he noticed the nearby hill on township property.
"I thought, 'Man, that would be a really cool sledding hill,'" Mulder said.
He brought the idea to the Sagola Township Board in January, along with seeking an easement from an adjoining property owner for the public to access the hill. That proved to be no problem to secure -- it belonged to Dickinson County, which agreed to provide the easement free of charge if the township paid the $500 in deed transfer costs.
The hill then needed to be completely cleared -- not just of trees but stumps and other potential hazards -- and space carved out for parking at the top of the hill. Brock VanOss of VanOss Forestry in Crystal Falls went through the timber before Jauquet Forest Products did the work on the roughly 5 acres. The township spent about $7,500 on site preparations to make it suitable for sledding, Mulder said.
The hill will have two runs, both roughly 300 feet, about the length of a football field -- one straight that is steeper and faster, one slower with curves that will be more suitable for smaller children, Mulder said. Berms have been added at the bottom of the hill to make sure "it's safe and secure," he said.
Grass mats were installed over the summer, along with gravel for the road and parking. Township Trustee Lucas Fleming donated grass seed, Fleming Fabricating & Machining of Sagola the gate at the entrance of the newly signed "Sledding Hill Lane," across Byers Road from the Channing Cemetery.
Township maintenance crews were able to do much of the work.
In all, Sagola Township invested about $15,000, not counting donations and sweat equity, to take the hill from tree-covered and difficult to access to ready for some sliding.
"We've gotten a lot of support from the community," Mulder said.
Now, "we're just waiting for the snow."
In October, Mulder plans to propose acquiring tubes for the hill. He noted other sledding venues in the region have had some problems with plastic sleds breaking down on their runs. They'll also discuss whether a limit needs to be placed on how many can sled at the same time.
Otherwise, they'll hold off on further changes until they see how this first season goes, Mulder said, adding, "it'll be trial and error the first year."
The plan is to be open on weekends and holiday periods when school is out. Use of the hill will be free and open to all, not just township residents. "We want to make it cheap entertainment up there, for the kids," he said.
If response is strong, the future could bring a warming station, even perhaps a tow rope or lighting that could allow sledding after dark.
"We don't have a lot of winter activities in Sagola for the kids, so this is pretty exciting," Mulder said.
The effort is aimed at growing Sagola Township, he explained. With only about 1,100 to 1,200 residents, they'd like to keep adding potential attractions "to try to get people to move into our community, trying to build up our community."
Other recent additions include a swimming raft at Newberg Park on Sawyer Lake and cornhole boards for use in the parks. A handicapped-accessible swing is ready to be installed at the Sagola playground. They're eyeing setting up a pickleball court, as neighboring Felch Township has done at Norway Lake.
Outside of recreation, the township added new light poles in Channing that will be decorated for the holidays. Major employer LP Building Solutions in Sagola provided siding for the township's Office & Maintenance Building in Channing and the fire hall, Mulder said.
At Brownie Olson Memorial Field in Channing, Crystal Lumber and LP donated materials to build the announcer's tower, while LP and Bink's Coca-Cola in Iron Mountain each contributed $2,000 toward the new scoreboard, with the township covering the rest of the cost.
Mulder noted the township has been fortunate to have so many businesses willing to help with improvements, so "each dollar (of township spending) goes a long way."
He added, "We're grateful for the support."
———
Betsy Bloom can be reached at 906-774-2772, ext. 85240, or bbloom@ironmountaindailynews.com.