Ten Club Park plans shape up

By Dave Fidlin

Correspondent

One or more public-private partnerships could be sought as Village of Waterford officials examine options for an overhaul of Ten Club Park in the downtown, ­ a project eyed for 2018.

During the course of several meetings in July, members of the village Plan Commission continued to discuss conceptual plans for the park green space, which is along the Fox River and in the heart of the community.

Early this year, the village hired engineering firm GRAEF to draw up conceptual designs for the site.

GRAEF representatives have assembled a lengthy list of items – with projected costs coming in at $843,426 – for the site. Village officials are in the process of prioritizing what should and should not be included in the plans for the revamp.

The engineering company’s comprehensive list of items falls within one of six buckets: demolition and general construction, hardscape improvements, walls and fences, electrical improvements, softscape improvements and site furnishings.

Some of the bigger ticket items on GRAEF’s list include a water splash pad ($120,000), playground equipment ($80,000), brick paving ($70,880) and decorative light fixtures ($68,000).

“Even though the village is going to be a player, we’re looking for a lot of people to hold hands with us,” Village President Tom Roanhouse said, sounding a tone that permeated throughout a work group meeting held July 9.

Roanhouse, who chairs the Plan Commission, further commented, “You can’t have a stage before you have any actors.”

It remains uncertain what extent of monetary contribution the village will seek from donors. But several officials have expressed optimism a long-term solution can be reached.

“People in this community are giving,” commissioner Dennis Gahagan said. “They just need to know about this.”

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation, which is overseeing the highways 83/20 reconstruction project in 2018 – the same year targeted for the Ten Club Park revamp – also might be asked to contribute funding toward the project.

Some of the components of the project, including pedestrian crossings at and near the development site, could be tied directly into DOT’s reconstruction efforts.

Commissioners agreed different tiers and priority lists need to be made as the planning process picks up steam.

While many components of the project remain on the table for discussion, one item already has been scratched off the to-do list.

In late July, the park’s gazebo, considered to be in a state of disrepair, was razed. The Village Board in April voted to remove, rather than repair, that structure.

The board initially allocated $5,000 toward repairing the gazebo, but Jeff Dolezal, director of public works, later said it would be more cost effective to raze, rather than repair, the aging structure. A similar structure may eventually take its place.

Ten Club Park is just one piece of a grander picture aimed at revamping the village’s downtown area. Other eyed improvements include land and buildings in the area of the village’s Safety building, the North Second Street parking lot, the parking lot serving the Safety Building and the Main Street bridge.