A group of six Downtown Lake Orion volunteers thinks the village is ‘cool.? They call themselves The COOL (Cultural Opportunities for Orion Lifestyles) Commission.
The commission’s chairperson, Lisa Sokol, asked village council members on April 26 if her group could apply for a Cool Cities grant that could bring up to $100,000 into the village.
She said Michigan through Cool Cities will be awarding a minimum of 12 grants. Because of the major building fire in the village in March, she feels there’s a good chance the village will be considered.
The grant will be written for two areas, streetscape and facade improvement.
Seventy five percent of the funds will be used for such improvements as sidewalks, street paving, benches, flowers and trees, decorative elements and art in the streetscape, and historic markers on Broadway between Front and Flint Streets.
Twenty five percent will be used for facade improvement to enhance the current facade program in the DDA district
According to Sokol, members of the commission attended a kick off conference last December and have been meeting regularly since then.
During that time, the group applied for and won a grant for a Cool Cities Strategic Planning Session that is scheduled for June.
‘I can say Downtown Lake Orion is very proud that our application was one of 14 chosen out of over 50 submitted,? Sokol said.
Council members had no problem granting the COOL commission’s request.