Downtown Ironwood
Pocket Park Project
Each
of the entrances to the Downtown Ironwood Pocket Park is through an inviting wooden arch
over a bricked path. The arches provide trellises for clematis and other
vines. The Pocket Park was the creation of Jerry Kinnunen, who oversaw the
creation of the park and who maintained it until his untimely death in 2004.
The
Pocket Park is located on the site of the O'Donnell Siemens building which was torn
down in 1995. It is located at the intersection of Suffolk Street and
Aurora Avenue in the heart of downtown Ironwood, Michigan. The park is
currently maintained by volunteer members of the Range Master Gardeners
Association, who weed and maintain the flower beds. The photo to the left
is a view from Aurora Avenue facing north-west into the park.
The
park provides an inviting downtown location for people to use on their lunch breaks
or tired shoppers to have a place to sit and enjoy the flowers.
Many wedding parties use the park for photographic sessions. Benches are
located in the park for lounging and contemplation. Funding for the
park and oversight of its maintenance comes from the Downtown Ironwood
Development Authority.
The
exterior brick wall of the building to the north of the site of the Pocket Park
forms an attractive boundary. The weathered bricks, which had been hidden
for almost a century between buildings, suggested the use of bricks in the walk
and central plaza within the park. The wall is used as a backdrop for trellises
supporting clematis and a raised bed with perennials runs the length of it.
The
plantings are varied and include spring bulbs, annuals, perennials, shrubs and
trees. The cost of these plants and other associated costs of the garden are
paid for by the Downtown Ironwood Development Authority.
Spring
Bulbs in concert with early blooming perennials and flowering shrubs provide a
colorful show to pedestrian and motorist alike.