I believe the project turned out great and is
a net benefit to the city park and Half Moon
Lake. It’s an improvement to the aesthetics of
the park versus the old structure, it provided
more habitat for the fishery in the form of tree
drops, it improved the safety for fisherman and
all park users entering the park, it increased
access to fishable shoreline, and improved
navigational clearance for watercraft using
the lake. This was all done while protecting
the water quality of the lake and protecting
sensitive species that live in the area.
- Chris Willger, Transportation Liaison, Wisconsin
Department of Natural Resources
lanes, wider and terrace-separated trails, off-trail fishing
accommodations, and improved lighting – and better
accommodate all different types of park users. Finishing
touches like native plantings, an arched façade to mimic
some of the features of the old bridge, simulated stone
masonry, decorative railing, and stamped concrete
surfaces offer additional aesthetic enhancements.
“It’s been a rather dramatic improvement for the
community, not just people that drive into the park but
bikers who like to bike on the road, people pushing
strollers who don’t have to be right on top of the road
anymore, joggers who don’t have to run next to live
traffic anymore….” Sydow said. “It was scary how close
everything used to be to the road. Now it’s separated, and
everybody has their own space to do their own thing.”
IMPROVEMENTS EMBRACED
Construction on the $2.9 million project started in July
2017 and was completed four months later. Although
an arduous project at times, Solberg said the extra
efforts paid dividends, with the improvements exceeding
everyone’s expectations. The project even earned “Best
New Development” in the 10th annual Downtown Eau
Claire awards competition last year.
“I give it an A+. It’s fabulous,” Solberg said. “For a project
that could have been a nightmare, permitting-wise, it was
very smooth. And it’s beautiful now that it’s done.”
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