Funds from the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board are flowing to Ely for a bevy of area projects.
Topping the list is $500,000 to the Prospector ATV Club and Ely Igloo Snowmobile Club to develop a new shared club facility.
Numerous other initiatives were also funded by the IRRRB during a special meeting Wednesday at Eveleth, including:
• $200,000 for Fall Lake Township road improvements; • $200,000 for facility improvements and expansion at Veterans on the Lake Resort;
• $50,000 for new pickleball courts in the city of Ely.
Projects at Hoyt Lakes, Tower and Babbitt were also part of the package and all are vital to the communities, according to State Rep. Roger Skraba (R-Ely).
“These are practical projects that communities have been working toward for years,” Skraba said. “Whether it’s helping the Ely Igloo Snowmobile Club and Prospector ATV Club create a permanent shared facility, restoring historic spaces in Hoyt Lakes, or improving services for veterans at Veterans on the Lake, this funding will have a lasting local impact.”
Skraba and State Sen. Grant Hauschild (D-Hermantown) also highlighted the investment in the efforts to help the Prospector ATV Club develop a building that will be used to store equipment, provide an area to work on equipment, as well as office space and storage.
Another $500,000 is needed yet to complete the facility, which would be located off of the old railroad grade between Ely and Winton.
“We have been working on this as we have been able to acquire maintenance equipment through grants,” said Prospector ATV Club president Nick Wognum. “We need a place to store equipment and signs and so on. The county is working with us on the land and now we have a good start on the funding thanks to Grant and Roger.”
“Snowmobiling brings visitors and economic activity to northeastern Minnesota every winter,” Hauschild said. “Supporting organizations like the Prospector ATV Club and Ely Igloo Snowmobile Club helps strengthen local tourism while creating community spaces people can gather around year round.”
Hauschild agreed and called it part of a package that strengthens communities across the district.
“From improving local roads and schools to supporting veterans, outdoor recreation, and community gathering spaces, these projects will help improve quality of life and continue building strong rural communities across the region,” said Hauschild.
The lawmakers also emphasized the importance of supporting veterans and preserving regional history through investments like the Veterans on the Lake expansion and the reconstruction of the historic CCC Pavilion in Hoyt Lakes.
“These projects preserve what makes our communities unique while also preparing them for the future,” said Skraba. “That’s exactly the kind of investment we should be making in northeastern Minnesota.”
