New parade route set
New parade route set
By SCOTT SWANSON
That’s because this year’s route has been moved from its long-time location down Washington Street east to Lakeshore Boulevard.
“We (will) take advantage of Marquette’s greatest natural asset,” said Tom Tourville, a Marquette city commissioner and a member of the Marquette Area 4th of July Committee. “Our waterfront.”
The main reason for the change in route is cost, Tourville said. The parade is put on by volunteers and is funded entirely by donations. The Washington Street route would have costed $6,000 to $7,000 more due to additional police and public works support needed.
The total cost for the new route — including the price of Saturday’s fireworks display — is $19,400. The price of the fireworks and the Washington Street route would have been about $26,000.
“The cost to hold the parade and fireworks is funded 100 percent by donations,” Tourville said. “No city of Marquette tax dollars. No state of Michigan tax dollars. This is not a city government event. This is a community event that benefits the entire region that is completely paid for by the fund-raising efforts of our volunteer committee.”
Tourville said that the committee looked at other alternative routes, such as Third Street, where the parade was held many years ago. But not only was the Lakeshore route the most cost-effective, but it carried other positives as well, he said, such as being completely flat, having immediate access to McCarty’s Cove and Picnic Rocks and the aforementioned cool lake breeze.
Finally, the route would have to be moved next year anyway due to next summer’s planned reconstruction of Washington Street from Fifth Street to Garfield Avenue, Tourville said.
The parade will start on the corner of Pine Street and Fair Avenue near Lakeview Arena. It will then turn right onto Lakeshore Boulevard and continue south until terminating at the intersection of Lakeshore and Spring Street, across from the old Lower Harbor ore dock.
The Fourth of July committee is comprised of about 15 people who meet year-round to plan and organize activities. About 50 volunteers help to put on the parade and the committee spent about $12,400 for the fireworks display, Tourville said.
Previous page: Food fest-goers weather the storm
Next page: 1-buck in U.P. vote planned