SECOND SHOW FOR SEASONAL GLOW

THE CITY'S HOLIDAY TREE JOURNEY

For decades, crew members of the Parks & Recreation Department have been dedicated to seeking out, caretaking, and stringing the lights on the holiday tree that proudly stands at the intersection of Cass and E. Front Streets.

Matt Bright, our Parks & Recreation Division Supervisor and City Arborist, carefully selects the perfect tree each year. This year’s star is a stunning 40-foot blue spruce, tipping the scales at an impressive 3,800 pounds! What a beauty!

A big thank you to Team Elmer's who has donated the crane for the tree program and Santa's House over many decades. We appreciate their dedication to community.

Full Circle

Every year, community members contact the City about trees that need to come down for various reasons. In exchange, these trees get a second life as the centerpiece of Downtown Traverse City's holiday season! The City’s Parks & Recreation Division teams up with Team Elmers to remove the tree and carefully place it Downtown. This year's tree came from Cedar Run Road and was donated by the Smart family. Unfortunately, it needed to come down due to its size and the fact that it was growing into their home's foundation.

Once the holidays wrap up, the tree is chipped and composted at our Keystone facility—where it eventually returns to nourish our 30+ City parks, a full-circle moment!

Don’t miss the magic! Come see this year’s tree illuminated by 3,500 dazzling lights at the Downtown Tree Lighting Ceremony and Light Parade this Saturday!

LIGHT PARADE STREET CLOSURES

NOVEMBER 22ND

Downtown Traverse City will welcome Santa to light the tree and host the Light Parade this Saturday, November 22, 2025. To ensure everyone’s safety and enjoyment, vehicular traffic will be prohibited in the street closure areas starting at 3:00 pm. However, Downtown will remain accessible via Grandview Parkway and Eighth Street.

Tree lighting activities will begin at 5:00 pm, with the official lighting at 6:00 pm. The Light Parade will begin at 6:30 pm.

Park, Bike or Ride

Driving down? Be patient with increased traffic. We recommend parking at the Old Town Parking Structure for easy in-and-out. The Hardy Parking Structure can be accessed from State Street. Front Street from Franklin/Railroad to Pine will be closed for through traffic/parking after 3:00 pm, reopening after 9:00 pm.

Avoid traffic and opt for a smooth cruise! The BATA Bayline shuttle provides free rides downtown. Buses run every 15 minutes with free parking at Park-n-Ride lots located at Meijer or Woodland Creek Furniture.

Downtown is always easily accessible by bike. Just follow the rules of the road and ensure you are visible as streets darken.

CRASH RESPONDER WEEK

SLOW DOWN AND MOVE OVER

From November 17–21, 2025, communities across the country will observe Crash Responder Safety Week, a dedicated time to honor and protect police officers, firefighters, EMS crews, tow operators, and road workers who risk their lives on roads every day.

For many, this week is a general awareness reminder. But for the local community, the message is especially urgent. In just the past month, two ambulances in the immediate area have been involved in crashes, showing how quickly a roadside scene can become dangerous for emergency responders.

Why Moving Over Matters

Crash responders often operate just feet away from speeding vehicles. One distracted glance at a phone, one driver too impatient to slow down, or one motorist unsure of what to do around flashing lights can turn a routine call into a tragedy.

This year’s national theme, “Safety Starts With You – Slow Down and Move Over,” highlights one of the simplest and most powerful ways the public can protect those who protect us.

What You Can Do

• Move over one lane when you see flashing lights, if it’s safe.
• If you can’t move over, slow down significantly as you pass.
• Stay alert and avoid distractions near roadside incidents.

ASHTON PARK PLAYGROUND NEARS COMPLETION

RIBBON CUTTING DECEMBER 4TH

Improvements at Ashton Park are nearing completion. The project features a nature-based playground constructed entirely from natural materials, with no plastic components used. A highlight of the design is the reuse of Black Locust logs sourced from trees removed at the Senior Center. These logs have been cured for two years and prepared for construction by TC Millworks. Additionally, boulders unearthed during the Grandview Parkway project and have been relocated to the park.

Project Features

The playground will offer separate play areas for ages 2–5 and 5–12, featuring:

• Climbing elements, boulders, slide, and log steppers
• A slack line and spider net
• A craft table

These features are designed to blend with and preserve the park’s wooded character.

Additionally, the project includes a trail extension connecting the existing wooded trails to the Safe Routes to School sidewalk/trail on the south side of the park near the Wayne Street entrance. The sidewalk/trail will remain open during construction.

Funding for this project comes from the Brown Bridge Trust Fund (2019 allocation).

Ribbon Cutting

Join the City for a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the improvements on Thursday, December 4th at 2:00 pm.

HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN

MICHIGAN EQUALITY INDEX

The City is proud to have earned a score of 88 points on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Municipal Equality Index! The MEI examines how inclusive municipal laws, policies, and services are in cities and towns across the country.

This year, a record-breaking 130 cities, or over 25 percent of all MEI-rated cities, earned the highest score of 100, while 76 cities earned over 85 points despite hailing from a state without non-discrimination statutes that explicitly protect sexual orientation and gender identity. The MEI provides a public snapshot of how cities advance LGBTQ+ equality and a framework for mayors, councilors, and administrators across the country, outlining impactful steps they can take to protect their LGBTQ+ residents and staff.

The MEI 2024 suggests that LGBTQ+ equality is making significant strides at the local level, underscoring the need for continued work to advance equality at the national level. The City is committed to recognizing and representing equality for the LGBTQ+ community and its allies.

MATERIALS MANAGEMENT PLAN

PROVIDE YOUR INPUT

Grand Traverse, Leelanau and Benzie Counties are developing a Materials Management Plan - MMP (previously solid waste management plan) as required by the New State of Michigan Part 115 Rules. These three counties are developing a Tri-County Plan to prioritize sustainable practices like recycling and composting. A crucial aspect of these Plans is to gather input from the residents, businesses, and local units of government.

Resident Survey

Business/Institution Survey

HICKORY HILLS SEASON UPDATES

TARGET OPEN DATE: DECEMBER 19TH

The City is gearing up for the winter season at Hickory Hills and targeting an opening date of December 19, 2025. The opening date will be dependent upon favorable weather conditions for snow and snowmaking.

Hours and Special Dates

Pending weather, during winter break Hickory will be open, but closed on December 24, 25, and 31, and January 1.

Early openings will continue on scheduled TCAPS days off at 11:00 am. New this season, Hickory will now open early at 1:00 pm on scheduled TCAPS half/early release days. Early openings will not take place on snow days.

Learn More

Hickory Lodge Early Days & Open House

The City will open the Lodge at Hickory on Monday, December 8, 2025 for season pass purchases and pickup, and merchandise sales.

On Wednesday, December 10, 2025, Hickory Hills will host an open house on site for the community to meet the team, learn more about the season, check out the offerings of concessions, and see equipment such as a PistenBully up close! Season pass purchases, pass pickup, and merchandise sales will also be available.

Hickory Lodge Early Days will run Monday through Friday until the opening day of the ski area. Exact times to be published soon.

Season Passes

Season passes for Hickory Hills are now on sale. Alpine season passholders may also use Nordic trails at no additional charge.

The City's software offers options to make your adventurous days at Hickory easier than ever. Waivers may be completed ahead of time, and money can be added to passholder accounts for use on anything at Hickory (think snacks and merch!).

Pass pick up will be available beginning December 8, 2025.

Hickory Purchase Portal

When the season opens, day passes will continue to be purchased onsite at the ticket window. Reminder, a variety of rentals are available for both alpine and nordic.

Seasonal Positions

JOIN THE FUN! The City is now hiring for seasonal positions at Hickory Hills. 

Learn More

Vasa Ski Swap

Our Nordic partners, VASA Ski Club, will host their annual ski swap event on November 22, 2025 at Brick Wheels. VSC members can get in one hour early at 9:00 am and the swap is open to the general public from 10:00 am -1:00 pm. There will be new and used cross country ski gear (boots, poles, skis, bindings, bags, roller skis, etc.). Gear may be brought to sell on Friday, November 21, 2025 from 4:00 pm -7:00 pm.

Disc Golf Season Concludes

To prepare for the ski season, disc golf baskets have been removed.

LEAF PICK UP

CONTINUES

The City crews began their fourth pass this week and will continue to conduct leaf pick up until heavy snowfall.

Progress updates will be announced via social media and will also be available on the interactive map on the City's Leaf Pick Up webpage.

While crews may clean streets outside the scheduled zone to finish up the day, if they are not officially picking up in that zone, they will return at the appropriate time.

FISHPASS CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

FishPass remains in Phase 2 construction, and contractors will continue using an impact hammer for sheet pile installation. This work may alternate between a vibratory hammer and an impact hammer on weekdays between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm.

Use of the impact hammer for sheet piles is critical to stabilizing the riverbank and ensuring the structural safety of surrounding properties. Impact hammer activity will continue until this portion of construction is complete.

CITY OFFICE HOURS ADJUSTMENT

GOVERNMENTAL CENTER

City Office Hours: Governmental Center

Monday–Thursday: 8:00 am – 4:30 pm

Friday: 8:00 am – 4:00 pm

Customer needs outside of these regular business hours will be available by appointment only. For after-hours services, customers may use the red drop box located at the Governmental Center, or make payments online.

Please note that Grand Traverse County Offices will continue to maintain their customer service hours at the Governmental Center, Monday–Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm.