Improvements to Island Park in Neenah put on hold until ThedaCare finishes expansion
Reader question: Whatever happened to Neenah's plan to improve Island Park and rename it Ellis Island Park?
Answer: The plan still is swirling around, but there has been no progress toward implementation.
Rather, the project has taken a step back because the $62,500 that the city borrowed last year to match private donations has been reallocated to a capital public facilities fund and no longer is designated for Island Park.
The 2.5-acre park is located at 200 First St., across from ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah. It has 563 feet of shoreline along the Fox River.
The plan to upgrade and rename the park originated with former Mayor Dean Kaufert. He budgeted $125,000 for the work, with half of the amount coming from city taxpayers and half coming from the family of the late state Sen. Mike Ellis.
The Common Council approved the amount and included it in the 2022 borrowing package.
After Jane Lang was elected mayor, the project lost momentum.
"There really wasn't any kind of a plan in particular," she said.
Lang suggested to the Ellis family that the park improvements be put on hold until ThedaCare completes its $100 million expansion and renovation. Her hope is the city can partner with ThedaCare to create a path along the river and under the Oak Street bridge to connect the park and hospital campus.
More: Benefactor John Bergstrom restores funeral chapel at Oak Hill Cemetery for public use
"I thought that would be a great opportunity for people visiting (the hospital) to walk over and have a peaceful place to sit," Lang said.
The desired improvements, she said, would cost far more than the $125,000 budgeted by Kaufert.
Watchdog Q&A: Duke Behnke answers your local government questions
Meanwhile, Mark Ellis said the Ellis family stand ready to donate the $62,500 it offered to improve the park. The family also would like to see the park named after Mike Ellis as a tribute to his contributions to the community.
Mark Ellis said other city facilities have been named after political leaders. Carpenter Preserve is named in honor of former Mayor Marigen Carpenter, and a shelter at Memorial Park is named in honor of former Mayor George Scherck.
"We're just waiting to hear back from the city," he said.
SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM: Our subscribers make this coverage possible. Click to see The Post-Crescent's special offers at postcrescent.com/subscribe and download our app on the App Store or Google Play.
Kaufert said he was taken aback when his plan for Island Park was shelved. "I hope that it doesn't just get forgotten about," he said.
Post-Crescent reporter Duke Behnke answers your questions about local government. Send questions to dbehnke@gannett.com or call him at 920-993-7176.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Neenah shelves Island Park upgrade until ThedaCare finishes expansion
