Civil Municipal - April 2024

COMMUNITY AND LIFESTYLE What truly sets Hawley apart is its sense of community and quality of life. As Marketing Consultant, Lee Schwartz, explains, “Hawley has all the best things of a small town and has one of everything you’d expect from a larger town.” “It has all of the larger city amenities but doesn’t have the crime or the congestion of those places. If your favorite pastimes after work are golfing or going to the lakes, Hawley is almost right on top of both of those things.” The Hawley Golf and Country Club was founded in the 1920s as a 3-hole course and has evolved over the years, now offering an 18-hole course for golfers of all skill levels to enjoy. Open to the public, the setting is as beautiful as it is fun to play and is beloved by residents and visitors to the city. With several lakes within a 20-minute drive, Hawley is rich with outdoor opportunities, from fishing and boating to camping, swimming, and time on the beach. In addition, the green space is plentiful. “We have four city parks, and we are close to other park systems,” describes Mayor Mork. “There’s a state park within about 10 miles from us with camping, there are walking trails and cross- country skiing there in the wintertime.We also have a snowmobile route throughout town and around the area here that connects us to the Lakes Country and other towns in the area.” INFRASTRUCTURE AND DEVELOPMENT Recent infrastructure developments, including the revamp of the water tower and the completion of phase three of a city realignment project, which saw updates to water and sewer, exemplify Hawley’s commitment to a sustainable community. “Infrastructure-wise, we’re pretty much right where we should be,” remarks Mayor Mork. “Phase three was a year-long project of getting the last third of our city up to date to where we need it because it had the old clay tile sewer system in there.” 91 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 5, ISSUE 04 HAWLEY, MN