Commission previews 2024 park projects and fundraising priorities including trail connections, Regner upgrades and an All Abilities playground

At its Jan. 25 meeting the Spark Rat Creation Commission heard a detailed projects review and fundraising update for 2024. Director Mike (Speaker 3) and Parks Project Manager Rick (Speaker 5) walked commissioners through a slate of capital and maintenance projects, several of which will require outside fundraising or impact-fee allocations before construction.

Key projects and financial notes included:

- Ridge Run cabin: Speaker 5 described exterior and interior improvement plans with a preliminary budget estimate of about $110,000–$125,000 depending on bid alternates; staff expects to solicit bids within 30–45 days with construction slated for fall.

- Regner Park camp lodge: Recent exterior work (new windows, doors and a fireplace insert) was completed; interior phases are planned for future years and would temporarily limit rental availability (Speaker 5 said about three months of downtime).

- Villa Park playground: Funded in this year's CIP at $70,000, with equipment and associated materials valued at roughly $110,000; a GameTime grant of $45,630 helps cover equipment costs and the new play structures will reuse the existing footprint to save on walkway reconstruction costs (Speaker 5).

- Tree planting and street trees: The tree-planting contract bid came in under budget (budgeted ~$98,000; bid roughly $78,000). Staff plan to plant about 108 trees through the free street tree program and will use a recently awarded DNR grant of $25,000 to fund staff training and a QR-coded tree-identification program.

- Quass Creek parking and other maintenance: Pavement cleaning, crack repairs and sealing are budgeted at $25,000; several smaller maintenance projects (playground walkways, restroom upgrades) were highlighted.

- Main Street Entry Arch: A fundraising campaign is under way; one primary arch is estimated at about $146,000, and if four structures were implemented together staff estimated a total construction budget of roughly $320,000 plus about $20,000 for design and bidding (total cited ≈ $339,000). The arch remains in fundraising status.

- Ice Age Trail trailhead: Speaker 5 said the trailhead and a 50-foot bridge/boardwalk on Washington Street are permitted and scheduled to begin installation in May; he stated the Ice Age Trail Alliance is funding the work 100 percent.

- Vine Street trail extension and Riverwalk finishing: Speaker 3 described a proposed trail extension to connect neighborhoods and Decorah Elementary; funding would come from park impact fees and staff will notify neighbors and bring a formal proposal when ready. Riverwalk finishing items include wayfinding banners, minor warranty railing work and potential permanent bridge lighting.

- All Abilities Playground: Drawings and specifications exist but grading, parking connections and detailed costs remain unresolved; Speaker 3 emphasized that this is a major fundraising priority likely to follow other higher-priority projects.

Several topics prompted commissioner questions about funding and sequencing. Speaker 3 and Speaker 5 repeatedly noted that many projects depend on fundraising, grants, borrowed money or park impact fees and that staff will return with formal proposals when design and cost estimates are complete. The commission received the reports; no capital appropriations or final approvals for the major fundraising projects were recorded at the meeting.