Friends of Lakeside Park

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Lakeside Park Capstone Project

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Lakeside Park Capstone Project

October 8, 2021

Friends of Lakeside Park is proud to announce our application for a UW Madison Landscape Architecture Capstone Project has been accepted. The application we submitted- with the city’s full cooperation- requested landscape designs for Lakeside Park, focusing on Lighthouse Point Island and Frazier Point.

The student who has accepted the project is Tyler Riemer- a senior at the school. Public Works Director Paul DeVries, Parks Superintendent John Redmond and John Papenheim (John is the Friends of Lakeside Park representative for the project) were able to meet Tyler in person at Lakeside Park last week. They were all impressed with his knowledge and enthusiasm for this project. He has indicated that a community-driven design is a top priority and he has now agreed to meet with the Fond du Lac Advisory Park Board to begin that process.

The meeting with the Park Board is this Tuesday, October 12, 5:30pm at the newly remodeled Lakeside Park Pavilion. This will be an opportunity for the Park Board to gain an understanding of what a capstone project is, what to expect, the project’s timeline and to provide some preliminary input on the project. The public will not be allowed to speak at this meeting, but everyone is welcome to attend. Our citizen-representatives on the board will be able to discuss the project round-table and openly with Tyler. This will be a wonderful opportunity for anyone to get a first glimpse of the process of landscape design and improvements to Lakeside Park.

To be clear, landscape projects at Lighthouse and Frazier Points are not commercial developments or buildings. You can expect ideas for gardens, tree placement, recreational opportunities, trails, traffic layouts and the like.

For an idea of what a UW capstone project looks like, look at the remarkable capstone project for McDermott Park done in 2017 by a UW student click HERE. Much of what was planned is now being implemented in that park.

Please join us at The Pavilion- enjoy the spectacular view through the full-length windows overlooking Winnebago, learn about the parks’ exciting possibilities and let your voice be heard simply by attending.

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A Bridge to the Future

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A Bridge to the Future

September 21, 2021

Last week, at their Special September Budget meeting, the Fond du Lac City Council moved to add $200,000 to the 2022 Capital Improvement Budget (CIP) for the design work to put in a pedestrian bridge to connect Lakeside East to Lakeside West. At last year’s September budget meeting, the Council by an unanimous vote put the funds for the bridge itself into the CIP for 2023.

We applaud both councils for recognizing the value of Lakeside Park West.  This is a bridge to the future. A future that recognizes that huge other part of the park, Lakeside West.

Lakeside park is two sections that are separated by the Fond du Lac River. The East side is almost 150 acres. The West side is about 248 acres for a total of close to 400 acres.

It is about a 1.9 mile journey to travel between the two sections of the park. In addition to being long, that route is not safe for pedestrians or bikers as part of the trip you have to travel on the shoulder of a busy state highway. This separation really limits access to Lakeside Park West. 

If you do not have a car, it is very likely you will never visit Lakeside Park West.  If you are an out of town visitor to Lakeside Park East, you wouldn’t even know there is a western half of the park.  A bridge over the Fond du Lac River would change that long journey into about 200 ft.  

Lakeside West has Supples Marsh which is about 185 acres of undisturbed wetlands and water. This gem reflects what the shores of Lake Winnebago were in their natural state. The design and engineering work to add boardwalks to Supples Marsh is in process with the completion expected in 2022. Thanks to a generous donation from Tom and Chris Gross, the completion of this project was moved up 3 years.

Lakeside West also has boat launching ramps with car and trailer parking lot, a picnic areas, restrooms, a 3 ½ acre fenced dog park and the Archer Thomas Olsen Walking Trail.

The Archer Thomas Olsen Walking Trail was opened in 2019. This trail is the work of a Leadership Fond du Lac team. Team Trailblazers developed this one-mile multi-use trail in Lakeside Park West with the financial support of Tom and Chris Gross. The mowed grass trail can be used for hiking, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, and other outdoor recreation.

The trail is named after the infant grandson of Tom and Chris Gross. As Tom told at the dedication, Archer Thomas only lived 2 days, but in that time he touched many people. Tom said, “If we could all live by that model, everybody we touch leaves an impression, it would be a better world.”

You can see Tom’s presentation at the dedication for the Archer Thomas Olsen Trail in the video below. 

Lakeside Park West has more Lake Winnebago shoreline that Lakeside Park East. It also has a gravel roadway right next to the shoreline.  Add this to the one mile Archer Thomas Olsen trail loop and we have almost two miles of walking trails that immerse you in the natural world.  This is unlike anything in Lakeside Park East.  

Lakeside Park West is a very special “somewhere.” It has an incredible natural beauty that is not found in Lakeside Park East. It also is home to a marsh ecosystem that is fun to explore via the water or soon from the boardwalks.  Many people have yet to discover all there is to do and see in Lakeside Park West.   

A pedestrian bridge over the Fond du Lac River will make it possible for everyone to access and enjoy ALL of Lakeside Park.

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A History Lesson – 1982

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A History Lesson - 1982

May 2, 2021

This rendering is the development that was proposed in 1982.  The “Point” was a hotel, recreation and conference complex to be constructed on “unimproved” lakefront property in Lakeside Park. 

The “Point” was to consist of a totally self contained hotel/recreation facility to include 250 guest rooms, a theater dining room, indoor swimming pool, indoor tennis courts, a fitness center, saunas, restaurants, lounges and service marina.   It connected to a conference center that would host meetings, conventions and business/trade shows.  

This map shows the site of the “Point” and the convention center overlayed on a map of Lakeside Park.  You can see all of the park west of the playground to the Fond du Lac River is taken by this development.   

There would be no fishing or relaxing out on Fraiser point.  No site for the main stage for Walleye Weekend.  No place for the Christmas light show.  No movies in the park. 

 

This map shows the “Point” facilities on the main floor.  You can see the convention hall with parking for 800 cars.   This would be directly west of the current playground.   The 800 car parking lot would have taken all of the green space that is to the west of the playground.

We would not have the potential for an outdoor skating rink and basketball courts west of the playground as proposed earlier this year. 

 

In March of 1982, the people of Fond du Lac did a direct petition process.   They collected signatures just like the citizens of Fond du Lac did in September of 2020. 

The City Council accepted and adopted the ordinance in the direct petitions with a 6-1 vote.   This meant that any proposed development would go to referendum.  That council let the people decide the future of their park which they did on November 3, 1982. 

In the largest voter turnout for a non-presidential fall election in city history, the 20 million dollar proposal was voted down.   

What were the economic conditions in 1982?   According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics:  The economy entered 1982 in a severe recession and labor market conditions deteriorated throughout the year. The unemployment rate, already high by historical standards at the onset of the recession in mid-1981, reached 10.8 percent at the end of 1982.

 

What can we learn from our looking at our history?

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#LetThePeopleDecide