Organizers planned for 300 participants in The Grand Vision Kalkaska Workshop last Wednesday. Nearly all the seats were filled on the floor of the Kaliseum rink. Photo by Heidi Berden

Nearly all 300 seats at tables on the floor of the Kaliseum rink were full.

"We have two major highways that intersect in this county,"George Shetler, Kalkaska County Board of Commissioners chairman, said. "We are the front door to Traverse City and the bay. It's a huge resource that we have."

Participants gathered around round tables and marked-up county maps with "chips" that showed how they want this community to grow, what areas they want to protect and what they would like Kalkaska County's roads and transit systems to look like over the next 50 years.

"I'm here because I have a vested interest in Kalkaska,"JoAnn DeGraaf said. "I was born and raised here."

Carri Latta, of Orange Twp. said her reasons for participating revolved around the economy.

"I'd like to see some economic changes that will help us,"Lattta said. "If things don't change fast, I might have to move downstate and I don't want to - this is my home."

"I'm participating in the workshop because I care very much,"Cindy McCulloch, of Blue Lake Twp., said.

Meade and Hunt, along with nationally-renowned consultants executed the workshop, gave a PowerPoint overview of what's been accomplished to date, what The Grand Vision is all about and what people can expect moving forward.

Ê Results of the workshops from around the region will be available this fall.