Tim Ryan, tryan@wolfrivermedia.com
Only a handful of people turned out Tuesday for the city’s first open house on a borrowing referendum to support several park development projects, but those who braved the icy road conditions to attend seemed enthusiastic about the city’s plans.
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.
Those who missed Tuesday’s open house will have three more chances. Additional open house meetings are scheduled for 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 Memorial Park splash pad, described as a playground with water features, caught the interest of several visitors after seeing a video of similar splash pads in use elsewhere and young children joyfully running through fountains of water.
Bob Dumke recommended that the city post a link to the video, since many people might not realize what a splash pad is.
Others added the pad could be an attraction that might draw visitors to Shawano.
Shawano Parks and Recreation Director Matt Hendricks said the nearest splash pads outside of Shawano are in the Green Bay and Appleton areas.
Hendricks also outlined plans for Franklin and Smalley parks.
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.
Similar to the splash pad reaction, attendees voiced excitement about the tourism potential at Franklin Park and its potential use as a showcase for local arts, culture and entertainment.
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.
All of the plans were based on community input from a survey that asked what people want to see developed in Shawano’s park system, Hendricks said.
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, though the actual work would probably not get underway until next year, Hendricks said.
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.
The city was able to attract $65,000 in donations for the first phase of development at Franklin Park, which is not part of the referendum package.
According to Hendricks, $50,000 has already been pledged toward Smalley Park, which will offset some of the referendum borrowing, and additional grants and funding sources will be looked into.