CEDARVILLE, MI— The Great Lakes Boat Building School in the Eastern U.P. has been awarded $2.7 million in CARES Act funding from the U.S. Economic Development Administration.
The Cedarville school will use the money to construct a 10,000-square-foot school expansion, build new boat-docking infrastructure, and purchase additional marine training equipment. The grant will be matched with $686,595 in funds raised and is expected to more than double the school’s annual graduation number to 50 students.
School officials say the associated economic impact will increase from $1 million to $2 million dollars annually in Mackinac County based on additional students living in the Les Cheneaux Islands area for training. The increase in students will be accompanied by growth in staff and in local purchases for supplies and equipment. And the $3.8 million construction project will create a positive economic ripple effect in the Eastern U.P.
