NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Calumet Township Delivers Great Winter Recreation!
As winter comes to a close, and we look forward to the beauty of spring and warmth of summer,
it’s good to reflect on all the opportunities that winter provides. The staff and governing boards
of Calumet Township know residents and visitors value recreation and have made it a priority
year-round! The Township is home to several recreational facilities, some of which are owned by
the Township but managed and supported by volunteer boards or committees and others are
simply located within the Township boundaries. No matter their ownership, each contributes to
making winter fun!
People are drawn to Calumet Township’s Swedetown Recreation Area by the excellent facilities
and reliable snow, and many return for extended visits year after year. Over the 2022-23 season
the Swedetown chalet was open 7 days a week, welcoming all users including skiers, sledders,
snowshoers and snowbikers! Users all benefited from various improvements that were made in
the off-season, perhaps most noticeably was the expanded parking lot, which was able to
accommodate the large number of regular visitors to the site. The Swedetown Trails Club
organized and hosted several events over the winter, including a Season Opener race in
December, Winter Trails Day in January, and the Great Bear Chase and Junior Bear Chase in
March.
Located in the former C&H Drill Shop, the Copper Country Curling Club rink saw excellent use
during the 2023 curling season. Club President Gary Lassila reports, “membership numbers
were at an all-time high with 84 total members curling during the 15 week season with 3 league
nights and Saturday pick-up league”. The Curling Club held a tournament, “the Copperspiel” in
late January, drawing teams from Detroit, Madison, St Paul and points between! The Club also
provided a curling experience for 44 different groups who rented the facility for curling sessions.
The groups were very diverse (corporate, church, school, sports teams, and friends and family)
and many were from out of the area.
Thanks to some very generous donations, the Township was able to make several upgrades to
the groomer for the trails at Calumet Lions Club Park. Volunteer Marc Norton has taken on the
task of keeping the trails around and near the lake groomed. “After a large snowfall it’s intense
physical work, but it enables us to offer trails for snow shoeing, fat tire biking, and walking right
around the lake”, remarks Norton, who is a Township resident and avid trail user himself. Not
typically thought of a winter sport, the park also sees winter use of disc golf course, with
snowshoes!
A perennial favorite, the Calumet Colosseum opened its doors for skating on October 1st and
has been used every day since! Junior Hockey, Senior Hockey, High School Hockey, Calumet
Schools JROTC, Figure Skating, Public Skating, and some private rentals enjoyed the rink this
winter. There are a few events left on the calendar before the rink closes in mid-April, when the
facility makes the transition to an event rental location for the warmer months.
All the recreational facilities in Calumet Township make our community a great place to live and
we work hard to keep them open and improving every year. Easy access to recreation, winter
and summer, indoors and out, is great part of life in the Keweenaw. Voters in Calumet Township
can continue supporting projects like these by voting yes to renew the buildings and
maintenance millage on May 2nd. If you’ve been missing out on winter recreation consider
visiting some of the resources the Calumet area has to offer!
About Calumet Township
The Charter Township of Calumet is located in the heart of Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula.
Covering 33.2 square miles, it is home to the Villages of Calumet, Laurium, and Copper City
and approximately 6000 residents. You’ll love Calumet Township’s unique blend of history and
recreation with a small-town atmosphere. Visit calumettownship.org for more information!