The Lumbering Hall of Fame Park in Rice Lake will be gaining a picnic shelter in memory of Stan Bergum.
The Barron County Property Committee approved the proposal plus endorsed an emergency access by use of a county trail to the scout camp in Haugen and gave the go ahead to the Cumberland Area Ski Trail Association to fundraise for snowmaking equipment at its Monday meeting.
However, the committee paused on giving permission to use part of the courthouse lawn in Barron for a placemaking area.
Picnic shelter
Stan Buchanan of the Lumbering Hall of Fame Committee shared that the family of the late Stan Bergum, a founding member of the committee, would like memorial funds to be used for a 16-by-28-foot picnic shelter at the park.
Buchanan said the committee would also like to put up a 20-by-36-foot pole-type storage shelter.
“I don’t see an issue with this,” said Committee Member Bob Rogers, who made the motion to allow them to go ahead with the proposed shelters.
Emergency access
Emergency Services Director Mike Judy said a longtime concern has been the limited access into and out of Camp Phillips in Haugen if an emergency should occur.
“They truly have one road in, one road out, that is so lined with trees and brush that if a significant wind storm or tornado would occur, it would take us days to cut in,” Judy said. “We’ve been wracking our brains for years trying to come up with scenarios, even by air or by boat, but all have been shot down as not feasible. One that does makes sense is the trail on the south side of the property.”
He asked for a Memo of Understanding to use a small portion of county trail for access with emergency vehicles.
“It’s good to have a plan if something were to happen, an alternate route,” Committee Chair Dana Heller said.
“It’s not the best plan but the best we could come up with at this time,” Judy replied.
The committee approved the emergency access contingent on an evaluation from the county foresters.
Making snow
Bjorn Hanson of CASTA said after this past snowless winter, the ski association would like to have snowmaking equipment on hand for times when Mother Nature needs a hand.
“Most other competitive venues have snow-making options,” Hanson said.
He said if the plan moves forward the association would see what would be required for power, and it would need to apply to the DNR for a high-capacity well. He promised CASTA would also work with the county’s forestry department to fit its project in with future harvest plans. He added that at some point in the future another thought is to incorporate a storage shed into the parking area.
Heller — who said Barron County needs a lot more snow — called the proposal a positive, saying it would only enhance what is already there.
Rogers remarked, “If you get the equipment in, it almost guarantees 10 feet of snow.”
Committee Member Bill Schradle called it “a very good idea, and good for the Barron County economy.”
“There’s a lot of things that would have to happen” Hanson said. “This is more informative at this time, just looking for a blessing to go forward in this endeavor so we could engage in fundraising.”
He estimated the need to raise $375,000-$425,000 but said the association has had significant contributors in the past and donations from users of the ski trail.
Corporation Counsel John Muench agreed to look at CASTA’s existing Memoramdum of Understanding, amend it and bring it back to the committee for approval if or when the project proceeds.
Courthouse lawn
Barron Mayor Rod Nordby was met with objections when he asked the committee for approval of a revised mall concept that would take out a portion of the retaining wall and courthouse lawn in Barron’s downtown. His new proposal is downscaled from taking out the whole wall as he originally presented to the committee at its November meeting.
“It’s going to be more of a mall concept with wider sidewalks for event-type things,” Nordby said. “Being the courthouse is right on our main street, we want to take a portion of your front lawn and turn it into a place-making setting. We would like the downtown to be a destination point — a small concert or movie or picnic, whatever the event might be, it would be a place to gather.”
Nordby said it would require taking away a portion of the wall and lowering the front lawn to 2-3 feet above street level. The area would have a ramp so it would be handicap accessible.
Heller said parking is limited in that area, and the city already has other park locations by the swimming pool and behind the A&W with more parking.
Schradle said he assumed the downtown area would attract those within walking or biking distance.
Nordby replied that the idea of placemaking is to enhance the downtown.
Heller maintained that agreeing to build a little park in the middle of the city would set a precedent that other cities might want to emulate.
Nordby countered that not every town has a courthouse on their main street.
Committee Member Karolyn Bartlett said she is glad the project has been downscaled but she still wanted to more information on the revised conceptual design. She also wondered who would use it.
Committee Member Craig Fowler said he was not on the committee when Nordby presented the original plan and that he would like to see the plan or the modified plan.
“My recollection is we weren’t real keen on this project,” commented Rogers, who questioned why it wasn’t incorporated into plans for Barron’s new City Hall.
The mayor replied that there was not space for it at that location.
County Administrator Jeff French was absent, but his administrative assistant Wendy Coleman said his concern, and that of maintenance director Steve Olson, was what could be buried underneath that lawn.
“That’s all on us,” replied Nordby, who said it would cost zero to the county.
With all members having questions, concerns or wanting to see the city’s revised conceptual plan on paper, the committee tabled it and invited the mayor back to next month’s meeting on June 3.
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