Park Board prepares for Waukon City Park expansion project

At its November meeting, the Waukon Park and Recreation Board discussed increasing community involvement as the park and recreation facilities expand. The Board is seeking community members to join an advisory committee. The purpose of the advisory committee would be to offer suggestions on park improvements and ideas for incorporating approximately 24 acres of new park land being donated by the Waukon Economic Development Commission (WEDC).
About eight acres of the new land is directly west of the existing park and the remainder of the land lies across Eleventh Avenue SW and follows the creek west to Ninth Street SW. The areas will be developed in stages, with the first phase including the installation of trails and the improvement of the woodland and grassland areas through land management practices. This effort will be funded by a $75,000 Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) Grant.
The Allamakee County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) also currently has a Watershed Improvement Review Board (WIRB) grant called the Indian Springs Pond Watershed Project that includes the park areas and provides funds for urban and rural conservation practices. Waukon resident Sara Berges, who works for the SWCD as a Watershed Technician, is the administrator of the WIRB grant project and will also assist the Waukon Park Board with the administration of the REAP grant.
Persons interested in serving on the advisory committee can contact Berges at 563-568-2246, ext. 115 or by email at sara.berges@ia.nacdnet.net. City Councilman and WEDC board member Joe Cunningham, who has been coordinating activities between WEDC, the City and the Park Board, can also be contacted at 563-568-4267 or at joe.cunningham@mchsi.com.

The advisory committee will plan to meet for about a year, meeting once a month or occasionally twice a month. An informational meeting will take place Monday, December 13 at 7 p.m. in room 109 of the NICC building in Waukon for persons interested in being part of this process. Other opportunities will be available for volunteers who prefer to assist with projects in the park rather serve on an advisory committee. As these projects are identified, the Park and Recreation Board will announce them and convey information on how to volunteer and participate.