Traverse City commissioners this week gave conceptual approval to installing a peace monument in a city park and allocated $285,512 in federal funds to four local nonprofits to address housing and homelessness needs. 

Veterans for Peace plans to install a local peace monument in a city park (pictured, conceptual rendering). The final design, size, and location are still to be determined and will be subject to approval by the Parks and Recreation commission, which greenlit the concept earlier this month.

"The monument aims to honor local and global peacemakers, reflect the city’s status as an International City of Peace, and provide a space for reflection, gathering, and promoting peace initiatives," according to the city's Bay Brief. "Key goals of the monument include fostering a culture of peace, networking local peace groups, providing educational resources, recognizing individuals advancing peace, and encouraging respectful dialogue within the community." 

Tim Keenan, president of the local Veterans for Peace chapter, previously told The Ticker he hopes to raise about $30,000 for the monument’s creation and installation. He anticipates a committee regularly adding names to the monument, potentially around three per year.

City commissioners this week also allocated $285,512 in federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to four local nonprofits to address housing and homelessness needs. Funds will be distributed as follows:

> Goodwill Northern Michigan: $69,725 for HVAC/Bike racks at East Bay Flats
> Northwest Michigan Supportive Housing: $65,787 for boiler, water heater, roof replacements at Three Mile Road four-plex
> Central United Methodist Church Outreach Program: $50,000 for director/kitchen/janitorial/security staffing services
> Safe Harbor of Grand Traverse: $100,000 for parking lot paving and other improvements, including a generator

CDBG funding helps "support housing, infrastructure, and services for low-to-moderate income individuals," according to the Bay Brief. "For 2024/2025, the city anticipates receiving $365,323 in CDBG funding."