HOUGHTON, Mich. – The City of Houghton has won the Michigan Municipal League’s Community Excellence Award for 2024. The award nominations celebrate and honor innovative placemaking projects across the state; with one chosen as the winner. Houghton was chosen as one of four finalists and competed with Brighton, Grandville, and Oak Park at the League’s annual conference; this year held on Mackinac Island.
Communities from around the state submitted project nominations this past spring which were whittled down to four finalists by a committee of League members and staff. Those finalists were invited to present their projects onstage at the opening session of the conference and then answer questions about their project at tables outside the conference rooms. Attendees voted via a secure voting system at the conference.
“Being chosen to compete put Houghton in really great company,” said Eric Waara, City Manager, “to be recognized statewide is an incredible honor for our City, our volunteers, our Department of Public Works, and all the people who work to make us a great place to live. Winning the CEA was an incredible honor.”
Houghton’s presentation concentrated on the efforts of dedicated volunteers and innovative work by many City employees to build places for people, especially on the downtown waterfront, once large infrastructure projects, like construction of the Pier, the demolition of the parking deck, and the rehabilitation of Lakeshore Drive, were finished.
“We wanted to celebrate and show what we as a community did to bring people together and create spaces for them on a limited budget and how even the simplest things can make a difference – and show other communities that they can do it too.” Waara went on to say. “Our story is about what small groups of people can accomplish after those large infrastructure investments are made and what that can do for your community.”
“On behalf of the League and local leaders across our state, congratulations to the Connecting Houghton project on winning the 2024 Community Excellence Award,” said League Board of Trustees President Don Gerrie, who also serves as mayor of Sault Ste. Marie. “I am proud that an example of exemplary work in the U.P. has received this important recognition. I would also like to thank every community who submitted their projects this year. We should all be proud of what we are accomplishing in our communities.”
Since 2007, the CEA has been the League’s most prestigious community award. It’s also affectionately called “The Race for the Cup” because the winning community gets a large trophy and bragging rights for the year. Until the next winner is chosen in the fall of 2025, the cup will reside in Houghton.
