Park plans move forward

Spirit of Shawano work to be done first
By: 
Tim Ryan, tryan@wolfrivermedia.com

City officials Wednesday adopted final plans for the development of Franklin Park and Spirit of Shawano Park, with money also approved to put the Spirit of Shawano plans into action first.
“It’s more of a streetscape renovation project,” Park and Recreation Director Matt Hendricks said of the Spirit of Shawano Park project.
It will include new trees, plantings and landscaping, he said.
“The theme is to give a good impression to not only the people of Shawano, but (also) people passing through,” Hendricks said.
The park is located on the northeast and southeast corners of the intersection of Green Bay and Main streets, and currently features statues paying tribute to farming and logging.
“The monuments will stay,” Hendricks said, but their locations might shift.
The names of more than 1,300 donors cut into stone blocks at the site will be re-engraved on some other type of surface.
“The stone they’re engraved into now has degraded too much,” Hendricks said. “The names will be re-engraved into granite or some other substance to honor those original people that gave to the park.”
A welcoming sign that would stretch across Green Bay Street is also part of the plan.
The Common Council approved a $14,500 contract with Rettler Corp., of Stevens Point, to draft the design and construction plans.
The council also approved the finalized plan for Franklin Park, but no money has been set aside to begin work.
Hendricks said the theme of Franklin Park will be community involvement.
It will support activities such as the Shawano Farmers Market and also be supportive of the downtown, Hendricks said.
“Farmers market vendors could back into the stall and pedestrians could be on the interior, walking through the park,” he said.
The park will have a stage or performance area, with restrooms open to the public; a water fountain, with water jets on a timer; aesthetic landscaping; and a small playground at the south end.
There will also be new trees planted to re-create a memorial to World War I veterans. The trees originally planted in their honor were removed years ago.