Tim Ryan, tryan@wolfrivermedia.com
The city of Shawano has set four open house meetings over the next two months to educate the public on its reasons for an April referendum asking voters whether there should be additional borrowing for park improvements.
The advisory referendum on the April 4 ballot will ask whether the city should borrow additional money for development of the Franklin and Smalley parks and a splash pad to replace the kiddie pool at Memorial Park.
The referendum question will ask residents whether the city should borrow up to $1.85 million for the projects.
The 20-year loan would mean an estimated annual tax increase of 25 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value, or $25 for a $100,000 home.
The parks and recreation department will address questions and take public comments at each of the open house meetings, which have been scheduled for Feb. 7, Feb. 15, March 7 and March 15. All of the meetings will take place at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 127 S. Sawyer St.
The parks and recreation department typically has an annual capital improvements budget of $250,000 a year, meaning it could take about eight years to accomplish the proposed projects if none of that money were to be spent on any other park improvements.
The additional borrowing would allow the improvements to be made within about two years, according to city officials.
At Franklin Park, the improvements would include an amphitheater for music, movies and community events; public restrooms, and pavilion space available for public rental; a water fountain with benches and trees for visual interest; parking, electrical, landscaping and infrastructure to accommodate community events; walkways, picnic tables and benches; and space for a future playground.
At Smalley Park, plans call for a park pavilion with restroom facilities and a rentable picnic shelter; a canoe and kayak launch; boat landings and boat slips; improved parking, lighting and security; walking trails that connect all of the major park features; trees and other native plantings, including native plantings along the waterway to deter geese; and continued revitalization of the beach and the improvement of beach amenities.
The referendum package would also include replacement of the wading pool at Memorial Park with a splash pad, basically a playground with water features, according to Matt Hendricks, parks and recreation director.
He said the existing pool was built in the late 1960s to early 1970s and is nearing the end of its life span.
Even if the referendum is approved by voters, it will be up to the Shawano Common Council to approve the borrowing.
The parks and recreation department would also continue to pursue grant money if it’s available, Hendricks said, to cut some of the costs.