by Karen Mead-Elford, co-editor
The city of Corunna had a yearlong sesquicentennial celebration in 2019 and the start of 2020 appears to have a number of projects worth celebrating, as well. The following highlights just a few of those items, reflecting briefly on what 2020 might bring to the area.
Perhaps the largest item to address is the recent announcement city of Corunna officials made in December on entering into a purchase agreement with Fiddler’s Green LLC for the sale of the former Shiawassee County Medical Care Facility (Pleasant View) on Norton Street. A final closing on the property is anticipated by the end of January. Fiddler’s Green, a nonprofit organization, intends to turn the 63,177-square-foot facility into a veteran housing community and expects to open by mid-2020 – pending a timely closing.
The Shiawassee County Medical Care Facility, built in 1952, closed in February 2018 following the construction of the new, state-of-the-art Pleasant View facility on Caledonia Drive.
In July, the Corunna City Council accepted a $1.1 million bid from VanDamme Trucking, Inc., located in the Upper Peninsula, to remove the city’s dam and work on adjoining Heritage Park. The dam has been an issue for the Shiawassee River’s aquatic wildlife for a long time. The plan for removal was to aid in restoring the river to a more natural state.
VanDamme Trucking, Inc. began prep work on the dam removal in September. The Friends of the Shiawassee River (FOSR), with offices located just north of the site, have documented the ongoing removal and restoration project. Those interested in viewing the transformation of the river can visit www.shiawasseeriver.org/dams or check out the FOSR social media pages.
Projected for 2020, the Shiawassee River and Heritage Park area will change, but in turn, will become a healthier natural resource for the county and beyond.
In November, Corunna Public Schools launched an app for mobile devices, allowing students, parents, staff and administrators to have access to school happenings at any time. The app can be utilized on Apple or Android devices and should be a positive and useful education and communication tool going into 2020.
A groundbreaking ceremony for an 8,000-square-foot, two-story addition to the James P. Capitan Center in July 2018, culminated in the Shiawassee County Health Department (SCHD) hosting a ribbon cutting ceremony in June 2019. The Capitan Center in downtown Corunna now houses the SCHD’s WIC, Immunization, STI and Communicable Diseases offices, which were previously located in the basement of the 66th District Court building – currently offering far more public accessibility.
The Corunna City Council was forward thinking regarding prohibiting the use of electronic smoking devices (vaping) on school and nearby public properties and approved an ordinance measure in the fall of 2019. It seems likely this ordinance could lead to other municipalities or government bodies having similar discussions regarding electronic smoking devices – particularly where minors are concerned.
In December, the city of Corunna also revised the city tax abatement plan, which will hopefully act as an incentive for future commercial redevelopment opportunities – essentially allowing for projects like the Fiddler’s Green/Pleasant View purchase agreement discussed earlier.
