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Politics & Government

Minor Improvements Continue at Whitewater Park

City leaders are discussing long-term plans for the park next to the Glen Palmer dam, but no funding is available now.

When city leaders head up to a paddling exhibition next month, they’ll pack a lot of ideas for improving the whitewater park next to the Glen Palmer dam.

City leaders r for the park during a meeting last week in preparation for Canoecopia, although they don’t know when they’ll have the money to fund part or all of the project. City Administrator Bart Olson estimated the cost of building the whole plan was $800,000.

“As money allows, we plan on building this,” Parks Superintendent Scott Sleezer said. “We may get lucky and get it all at once, or we may do it in parts.”

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A past grant application was unsuccessful, but they plan to apply for more and would be open to donations from civic groups and Eagle Scout candidates, said Laura Schraw, city park designer.

City leaders plan to market the park and vendor partnering opportunities at Canoecopia from March 11-13 in Madison.

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Efforts also are underway to lease the building at ’s east side to Geneva Kayak. Aldermen are expected to finalize that lease for 301 E. Hydraulic St. at Tuesday’s .

Meanwhile, the state plans to let bids next month to finish a pedestrian bridge over the new whitewater paddling chute. The bypass channel , although state crews still need to finish some of the landscaping and other work affected by the weather.

City crews will remove the wooden playground structure at the park soon. The structure, which dates back to 1997, is unsafe and no funds are presently earmarked to replace it, city leaders said.

Other ideas for improving the park include a canoe beach east (upriver) of the dam for paddlers who don’t want to go through the bypass channel, portable changing facilities, and a small, concrete fishing pier, Sleezer said.

They also are planning a bigger parking area, a memorial area, public performance space and a playground farther east of the existing wooden play structure.

Sleezer said city leaders will have to consider how to handle paddlers who bring alcohol in the boats, as alcohol is not allowed in other city parks.

Fishing will not be allowed in the bypass channel itself, although people can fish from the island on the north side of the channel after the pedestrian bridge is installed and from the river’s northern bank across the river from the park, Sleezer said.

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