Park Board mulls reviving dike shelter plan

Talk about it

Hudson’s Park Board is again considering construction of a picnic shelter and restrooms at the end of the dike road.

Any new proposal won’t include running water to the facility, however.

The last plan to put flush toilets in a dike road shelter proved to be highly controversial, and is one of the reasons the City Council rejected the plan in early 2007.

Park Board member Paul Radermacher, a proponent of the original shelter plan, revived the discussion at the board’s March 3 meeting.

Radermacher pointed out that a $100,000 grant from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources that was to be used for the shelter construction is set to expire on June 30.

He suggested talking to Mayor Dean Knudson to see if the City Council is interested in using the grant money – possibly matched with funds from park impact fees – to build a scaled-down shelter and restroom facility at the end of the dike.

Radermacher said any new plan wouldn’t include running water to the facility.

He said the make-up of the City Council has changed since the last plan was defeated, and the new council might be receptive to a scaled-down facility.

It was noted that the Hudson Rotary clubs have withdrawn their offer to fund $50,000 of the cost of a shelter and restroom project.

“I’m with you. I’d hate to see it go to waste if there is something we can do with it,” Park Board Chairman Pat Casanova told Radermacher regarding his suggestion to investigate using the DNR grant money.

The two said they would be contacting the mayor regarding the issue.

Radermacher said it might be possible to get the DNR to extend the deadline for using the grant money.

Sailing school

Casanova reported that a non-profit organization’s effort to start a youth sailing school in Hudson isn’t dead either.

He suggested that the city lease property next to the river at St. Croix Street to the St. Croix Sailing School.

The sailing school, a rowing club that already leases storage space there, and the city could work together to improve the area, Casanova said.

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