Marquette attractions reopening
By Audrey Posten, Times-Register
Several city of Marquette-operated attractions or venues are opening for the season. The Driftless Area Wetlands Centre and Marquette Community Center were open to people last week, and the Marquette Depot Museum and Information Center will welcome visitors starting Thursday, June 18.
The Wetlands Centre will operate its regular hours, said director Alicia Mullarkey, but there will be guidelines to help protect people from COVID-19.
“We’re roping off areas we can’t disinfect as easily, and we’ll try to keep people outside as much as possible,” she said.
No summer camps are planned for June, but no decision has been made yet for July and August. There will also be no large events this summer, including the popular Dino Day.
In lieu of that, Mullarkey said families can schedule appointments with Wetlands Centres staff, giving kids time to explore the nature center and outdoor areas in smaller numbers.
“We want to provide the community with opportunities to do things, but also social distance,” she remarked.
At the Depot Museum, staff member Deidre Vick-Froehlich said she will wear a mask and requests visitors to do the same. If people do not have a mask, they can purchase one for a small fee.
Signage will also ask Depot visitors to social distance, and Vick-Froehlich plans to thoroughly disinfect high-traffic areas.
She’s cautious, but wants to get back to some normalcy.
“I don’t envision a lot of people right away,” she said.
The Marquette Community Center hosted its first event in several months—a graduation party—on Sunday. City clerk Bonnie Basemann said another event is scheduled for July 11, but there haven’t been too many requests yet.
She said any events will have to socially distance tables and other seating. No back-to-back events will be scheduled, to allow for cleaning time in between. Venue renters will be asked to leave tables and chairs out once they’re finished, so Basemann can properly sanitize them afterward.
