| Still off market |
[Jul. 11th, 2009|01:15 pm] |
As of today, the property is still apparently not listed with any real estate company.
We continue to work with Northwoods Land Trust, exploring the possibility of one or more conservation buyers purchasing the property.
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| Off the market for the winter |
[Nov. 22nd, 2008|09:30 am] |
News on efforts to help protect and preserve access to Interstate Falls and the Montreal River:
This morning I noticed the Interstate Falls property was missing from the RE/MAX website. I called them up and they said the owner took the property off the market for the winter.
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| Wisconsin Waterfalls |
[Oct. 16th, 2008|10:17 pm] |
I am curious how many waterfalls in Wisconsin are already closed to public access. To try to answer that question, I created a web page listing all the waterfalls of Wisconsin:
http://www.interstatefalls.org/wisconsin.htm
By my count, there are 94 waterfalls in Wisconsin. Watch the website for more information soon. |
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| Xcel Energy Foundation |
[Jun. 23rd, 2008|03:10 pm] |
News on efforts to help protect and preserve access to Interstate Falls and the Montreal River:
Today we learned the Xcel Energy Foundation declined our grant application to help acquire a conservation easement for access to Interstate Falls. We were hoping they would participate in the ongoing fund-raising since they operate two hydroelectric facilities (Superior Falls and Saxon Falls) downstream on the Montreal River. Also, in 2005 they donated $15,000 to the Trust for Public Land to acquire access to Minnimishinona Falls in Minnesota.
At this time, there is little progress to keep Interstate Falls open to public access. The land is still for sale, and eventually someone will buy it. Perhaps the next landowner will consider selling a conservation easement. Having a cooperative landowner certainly could help with fund-raising and grant applications.
The Wisconsin Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program remains authorized through 2020. This program may be able to pay half the cost of a conservation easement. The Northwoods Land Trust is willing to be an applicant. To keep Interstate Falls open to the public, we need a cooperative landowner, and another $40,000 in pledges. |
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| Letter to Editor |
[Apr. 16th, 2008|12:00 pm] |
Today the Ironwood Daily Globe included a letter to the editor about Interstate Falls from the Western UP Convention and Visitor Bureau and Ironwood Tourism Council.
You can read the letter here: http://www.interstatefalls.org/lettertoeditor20080416.pdf
Thank you to both organizations for supporting public access to Interstate Falls! |
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| February Pledges |
[Feb. 29th, 2008|11:00 pm] |
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Thank you to the businesses and individuals that offered pledges this month to preserve access to Interstate Falls:
1. Whitecap Kayak
2. Copper Peak, Inc.
3. Anonymous #3
4. William & Christa Shackleford
5. Reflections Hair Salon
6. Wizard Of Odds Consulting, Inc
7. Anonymous #7
8. Healing Hands Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork
9. Little Finland
A chart showing current fund-raising progress is now available at http://www.interstatefalls.org/#How_you_can_help.
Remember, these are just pledges. We would only call-in the pledges if all the following events occur: Someone or a group of investors purchases the property and agrees to cooperate with Northwoods Land Trust to preserve public access. The buyer agrees with Northwoods Land Trust on a price for a conservation easement. We raise enough money through pledges and grants to pay that price.
The more pledges we receive, the more we can attract conservation buyers to the property. Please help us keep public access to Interstate Falls and e-mail a pledge today. |
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| Ironwood Area Chamber of Commerce |
[Feb. 29th, 2008|10:00 pm] |
News on efforts to help protect and preserve access to Interstate Falls and the Montreal River:
This morning I gave a slide show on Interstate Falls for the Ironwood Area Chamber of Commerce, and asked for a vote of support from their Board. They said they would add it as an action item to their March agenda. I hope to receive endorsements from several local tourism and commerce organizations: groups that would appreciate the tourism value of having a scenic waterfall at the edge of town available for public access. |
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| Iron County Land Conservation Committee Meeting |
[Feb. 21st, 2008|10:00 pm] |
News on efforts to help protect and preserve access to Interstate Falls and the Montreal River:
This evening I gave a presentation on Interstate Falls to the Iron County Land Conservation Committee. Gerald Luke is the Committee Chair. MaryJo Gingras is the County Conservationist. A lot of the discussion after my presentation focused on the asking price for the 38.7-acre property. One committee member said he received the fundraiser letter, but when he got the part with the $250,000 asking price for the property, he said he lost interest, not wanting to participate in a "rip-off." Another member cited the Montreal Landing riverfront properties, which have not been selling well, as evidence the property is not worth that much.
That led me to do some research on Montreal River land sales the following week. I visited the Gogebic County Register of Deeds, Iron County Register of Deeds, and Ironwood Township offices, collecting information on Montreal River land sales since 2002.
Without posting all the results, I would say $250,000 is not too outrageous, given...
1. Recent sale prices for similar properties on the Montreal River.
2. It is just an asking price.
3. There is a scenic eighteen-foot waterfall on the property.
Note, also, that our fund-raising goal is just $50,000. If we can raise that much, we think we can make up the remainder with grants, and acquire public access forever. |
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| Ironwood Daily Globe |
[Feb. 18th, 2008|08:18 pm] |
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News on efforts to help protect and preserve access to Interstate Falls and the Montreal River:
Today the Ironwood Daily Globe featured an article about Interstate Falls and our efforts to preserve public access on their front page. You can read it here:
http://ironwoodglobe.1upprelaunch.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=36&SectionID=1&SubSectionID=&S=1
If you've ever visited the waterfall ...
If you think Ironwood and Hurley could benefit by promoting the waterfall for tourism...
If you just think the waterfall should be open to public access...
Please e-mail me and make a pledge to save access to Interstate Falls.
If we receive enough pledges, your contribution will keep the waterfall open to public access forever. If we don't receive enough pledges and fail to save access, we'll never call-in your pledge, and you won't lose a dime.
Ian Shackleford
Ironwood, Michigan |
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| Ironwood Daily Globe |
[Feb. 13th, 2008|10:00 pm] |
News on efforts to help protect and preserve access to Interstate Falls and the Montreal River:
The Ironwood Daily Globe had this nice photo of Interstate Falls on their front page today. I was told a new article about our efforts to preserve access is forthcoming.
Photo by Joshua Kodis, Daily Globe photographer. Used with permission.
Also today, Northwoods Land Trust submitted a $15,000 grant application "letter of intent" to the Xcel Energy Foundation. If they invite us to submit a whole grant application, we hope we can offer at least $15,000 in pledges to be matched by their foundation. Xcel Energy operates two hydroelectric facilities downstream of Interstate Falls on the Montreal River. |
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| Fund-raising |
[Feb. 12th, 2008|10:04 pm] |
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News on efforts to help protect and preserve access to Interstate Falls and the Montreal River:
Today I mailed 300 fund-raiser letters to Ironwood and Hurley businesses. Each envelope contains a letter, flyer, and stamped post card. The post card is for making a pledge, and is addressed to Northwoods Land Trust.
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| Fund-raising |
[Feb. 9th, 2008|03:27 pm] |
Here is more information on fund-raising with Northwoods Land Trust to help preserve the trail to Interstate Falls and adjacent Montreal River.
Our goal is to collect pledges to cover an estimated $50,000 in costs needed to acquire a conservation easement. The land would remain private property, but the easement would protect the river corridor and existing trail, keeping them open to the public forever. We are emphasizing pledges, not actual donations at this time.
By having committed pledges, we hope to attract conservation buyers to the property. They would purchase the property, but receive some of their investment back by selling an easement to Northwoods Land Trust. Northwoods Land Trust would then call-in the pledges and use them to pay for the easement. If we can't save access to the waterfall, we will never call in the pledges.
Here is more information:
Fund-raiser letter
Fund-raiser post card
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interstatefalls's journal
