Author: Mike Wills

Discovery Pier

Record-Eagle Editorial Supports Sale of Coal Dock to Rotary

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Editorial: Taxpayers are the winners in coal dock deal They say money talks, and in the debate over whether to sell Traverse City’s unused, underused coal dock properties, one group is speaking through a megaphone. Three months ago, Rotary Charities officials put their money where their mouth is by … http://www.record-eagle.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-taxpayers-are-the-winners-in-coal-dock-deal/article_821f3d58-8663-5561-9237-bc1d39d67597.html

Featured News

Let’s Go Sailing Exhibit Opens at Great Lakes Children’s Museum

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Today, the Great Lakes Children’s Museum opened a new exhibit entitled “Let’s Go Sailing” on the Discovery Center campus. The exhibit features a table with built-in fans to propel model “boats” that can actually sail upwind!  The boats are “printed” with a 3D printer, courtesy of Alpha 3D Professional, and fitted with 4 wheels that allow […]

Discovery Pier

Could We See This Cruise Ship at the Community Pier in the Future?

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A new Great Lakes Cruise Ship will begin plying the Great Lakes waters in 2015. The proposed Discovery Community Pier could be the port of call that cruise ships like this need so passengers can conveniently disembark and tour our area. The Saint Laurent, measuring 286 feet long and with a draft of 13 and […]

Discovery Pier

Sister Facility in Campbell River Vancouver Island, BC

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Amazing and weird to have stumbled on another facility so similar to the proposed Discovery Center Community Pier! A Maritime Heritage Center, public fishing pier (actually named Discovery Pier) and an aquarium. All projects of the local Rotary Club, making much out of surplus and ignored city-owned property. Click here to check out their website […]

Discovery Pier

White Paper on Water and Michigan’s Economy

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This report validates the Discovery Center proposal for public use of the former coal dock and is worth reading. Michigan Economic Center Report: Water, Michigan and the Blue Economy (download here). In this new report we define the ‘Blue Economy’ as the way Michigan’s natural water assets, and water education, research and technology innovation creates jobs and contributes to economic […]

Discovery Pier

No Negative Impact to TCLP Action at April 8 Board Meeting

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Going into tonight’s meeting, the perception and fear was that the property would transfer to the City upon the motion being presented. While the motion passed, what we learned and heard at the meeting is that this was really only a motion to approve the transfer, whereupon the City Commission will initiate a public process […]

Discovery Pier

How is it fair to ask TCLP/ City to dedicate the former Coal Dock to the public?

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The City of Traverse City has been the beneficiary of numerous donations of land or money for City properties, including: Perry Hannah’s many gifts to the City (e.g. Hannah Park, Oakwood Cemetery, etc.), Floyd Clinch’s gift of the West Bay waterfront creating Clinch Park, The work of Dr. James Hall and others to acquire the […]