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Houghton, Michigan—The Houghton, MI Skatepark Group is holding a charity art auction at the Keweenaw Brewing Company in Houghton this Thursday, April 7 from 7-9 PM. The event will feature work from 25+ local artists.
Quincy Woodwrights, a Houghton-based skateboard deck manufacturer, donated boards to the artists as canvases for one-of-a-kind art pieces to be auctioned. All proceeds from the auction will go toward the construction of the Houghton, MI Skatepark.
The pieces will be sold in a silent auction with a live auction on select items starting at 8 PM. Live music will be provided by Discoball Chandelier. There will be no cover charge and all ages are welcome.
A group of local community leaders formed in mid-late 2015 with the common goal of helping construct a public concrete skatepark in Houghton. The group is formed of volunteers working in coordination with the city, local businesses, and organizations in the interest of providing a professionally-built, free-to-use, and universally appreciated asset to the community for decades to come.
In its 2014 update to its Master Plan, the City of Houghton identified a skate park as a targeted project to be constructed by 2018. The skatepark also is recognized in the City’s Recreation Plan. The City of Houghton has agreed to donate a suitable parcel of land, and the group is in discussions with City Manager Eric Waara, P.E., on selecting the most appropriate space possible. There are a few locations under consideration. The primary emphasis in selecting a location is that it’s easily accessible near parks, local businesses, and amenities.
The group’s plan is to build a phase-centric park, with the first phase covering approximately 3200 square feet and costing $125,000. Second–and potentially third–phase additions will be smaller and cost less.
Individuals looking to donate to the project can also contribute to an endowment that has been started with the Keweenaw Community Foundation (KCF). Donations can be made online at www.keweenawgives.org.
For more information on the Houghton, MI Skatepark project, please contact houghtonmiskatepark@gmail.com or visit its website at www.houghtonmiskatepark.org.
Through philanthropic services, strategic investments and community leadership, Keweenaw Community Foundation helps people support the causes they care about, now and for generations to come. For more information on Keweenaw Community Foundation and how to give, visit its website at www.keweenawgives.org.
