HARBOR SPRINGS — A little town on Little Traverse Bay may shine like the star on top of a Christmas tree as a featured feed on the Hallmark Christmas Camera.
Harbor Springs was previously included on the Hallmark Christmas Camera during the 2022 holiday season.
The Harbor Springs City Council approved a proposal from Hallmark during their June 19 meeting to allow the livestream again this year. The plan is to keep the camera in the same place — on the corner of Main Street and South Spring Street facing the Holy Childhood of Jesus Church, where the city’s Christmas tree is placed every year.
City manager Victor Sinadinoski said the public was generally supportive of the idea, though a few people had concerns about being monitored.
“Just another reason to put our cute little town on the map,” said Mayor Matthew Bugera.
The dates and hours have not been finalized, but Hallmark is expected to set up the camera after Thanksgiving and run it through the end of the year, with the camera live streaming from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
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The council also received short updates on fundraising goals and construction progress from Sinadinoski and council member John Cupps, who is a partial owner of Cupps Masonry, the company selected to upgrade the boardwalk.
Sinadinoski said the city received a $50,000 donation from the Offield Family Foundation to go towards the Ted Swarthout Skatepark, and another $50,000 donation from the Steve and Amy Van Andel Foundation to go towards the boardwalk project.
Cupps said the boardwalk construction is progressing well, with an expectation for part of the boardwalk to be available and open to the public by July 4. He said he’s not sure if the whole boardwalk will be open because not all of the hand railing is in yet. He said the hand railing will start going in on Tuesday, June 20.
“We know we’ll have the upper part open, just not 100 percent sure right now if we’ll have it all open, given inspections and final approvals on things,” Cupps said. “We’re shooting for it. We’re going to be close. So we’ll see how things shake out.”
— Contact reporter Karly Graham at [email protected] or on Twitter at @KarlyGrahamJRN.