Council discusses county-owned Veterans Park upgrades and city partnership for events

Council Member Learing asked the Fond du Lac City Council on Jan. 14 to consider a city–county partnership to make Veterans Park — a county-owned memorial space in the downtown plaza — more accessible and used beyond major holidays.

Learing said the park needs upgrades to security, lighting and accessibility for disabled and elderly users and suggested the city could collaborate with county veteran services and downtown businesses to host events that would also benefit veterans. "I would like to see events that directly benefit the veterans of our county through paying for medical supplies, therapy, service animals or other veterans needs," she said.

Learing reported she had spoken with Dave Tellefsen of veteran services and Terry Veil, county land information director, and said Veil plans to place an item on the county committee agenda in February to change the park ordinance to allow public events. She said the park's rededication ceremony is scheduled for May 22 and that fiber-optic service from the City–County Government Building will be needed for permanent sound and lighting.

Council members responded positively and discussed coordinating with the county. Council Member Mullen said he supported more events in the downtown park but emphasized they should be consistent with the memorial nature of the space. "Of course, it has to be congruent with the nature of the park as Veterans Park," he said.

The matter was discussed as an input item; council did not take formal action but referred the matter for further discussion on the EARS committee agenda and county coordination.

Provenance: The Veterans Park discussion appears in the meeting transcript under input item b presented by Council Member Learing.