TRAVERSE CITY -- Several regional businesses, organizations and people received awards for various development and community projects, courtesy of the Northwest Michigan Council of Governments.
The agency gave out nine awards for leadership, planning, collaboration, volunteerism, career development and employment, among other topics. It's a way to honor people and organizations for good community work, said Matt McCauley, the agency's associate director.
"We want to give recognition to community partners engaging in government activities and moving across the spectrum of government, nonprofit and profit sectors," McCauley said.
It's an effort to promote and recognize high quality and innovative planning efforts in northwest Lower Michigan, he said.
The State Theatre received the Outstanding Implementation Award for renovations at the long-idled cinema in downtown Traverse City.
"The State Theatre represents in my mind kind of a turning point for many theaters in rural America and especially northern Michigan. A lot of towns are looking for that focal point in their downtowns. What they were able to do in terms of renovating it, bringing life back to it and drawing people into downtown is a great example for other communities," McCauley said.
The State Theatre re-opened more than a year ago and organizers hope their efforts can be an example for other communities. They receive several calls a month from other towns with hopes to revive their downtown cinemas, said Deb Lake, executive director of the Traverse City Film Festival, which owns and operates the State.
The Grand Traverse Commons received the Outstanding Collaborative Initiative Award for the multi-year redevelopment effort at Traverse City's former state psychiatric hospital. It's home to condominiums, shops, art galleries, offices and open spaces, and makes use of old buildings and grounds at the former state property.
Traverse City, Garfield Township and Grand Traverse County officials worked together to improve the site as a community focal point, McCauley said.
"They set the framework for development. They put a process in place where private development can occur and is fostered," he said.
Carol Hale, chairwoman of the Grand Traverse Commons Joint Planning Commission, said she's proud of the new uses at the Commons and the more than 100 people -- mostly volunteers -- who were involved with the project over the years.
The agency is a regional planning, workforce development, community safety and economic development partnership of governmental units in a 10-county region of northwest Lower Michigan.
Outstanding efforts
The Northwest Michigan Council of Governments also recognized the following people and organizations:
-- Outstanding Leadership Award: Bernard Ware of Pleasanton Township in Manistee County
-- Outstanding Plan, Program, or Tool Award: Village of Suttons Bay zoning ordinance
-- Corporate Citizen of the Year: Cherry Republic of Glen Arbor and Traverse City
-- Outstanding Leadership to the Community: Warden Thomas G. Phillips of Pugsley Correctional Facility in Kingsley
-- Outstanding and Dedicated Volunteer Services: Project Unity for Life for its services to the Michigan Prisoner Re-entry Initiative
-- Outstanding Progress in Career Development: Kelly Johnson, a Michigan Works participant
-- Outstanding Employer and Community Partner: Crystal Mountain Resort in Thompsonville
