Marshfield Parks & Rec Adds to Their Trail Mix
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There are seemingly no boundaries on outdoor activities in and around Marshfield.
A plethora of paths, parks and trails draw out urban dwellers on a daily basis, while hunting and other seasonal sports pull people into the nearby countryside year-round.
The trail system that runs throughout Marshfield is a prime example. Operated by the city’s parks and recreation department, winding trails can be found virtually everywhere: on Veterans Parkway, Galvin Avenue and Pecan Parkway; in Griese Park, McMillan Marsh and the Prairie Run development; and at the UW – Marshfield/Wood Arboretum, Weber’s Nature Park, Hamus Nature Preserve & Recreation Area and Wildwood Park and Zoo.
And there’s even more to come, as the parks department is putting the finishing touches on two additional connector trails near Wildwood Station and the arboretum.
The city also has developed a pedestrian/bicycle master plan that is reviewed and updated regularly by city staff and the board of public works, says Ed Englehart, director of the Marshfield Parks & Recreation Department.
The city just got funding for another trailway initiative.
“It received approval from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation for $798,000, or 80 percent of the total project cost, in funding assistance to construct an asphalt pedestrian/bicycle trail from Wildwood Park at 17th Street on the south side of the city to McMillan Street on the north side,” Englehart says. The project is scheduled for construction in 2011.
Anything that adds to hiking and biking space is good news to Dennis Riedel, who owns The Sports Den, a fixture on the local athletic scene since 1975. In addition to cycling and skiing equipment, Riedel also operates a fitness center at the business, and he says that the area’s consistent attention to its trails and outdoor recreation opportunities continue to pay off for residents.
“The trail systems continue to get better and better,” Riedel says. “The latest grant from the [state] department of transportation is going to allow us to really expand alternative transportation, which is a plus. We also have a very friendly roadway system here, where it’s easy to get from one corner of town to the other pretty easily, so that’s helping more people to bike as well.”
The Healthy Lifestyles-Marshfield Area Coalition campaign also helps in that regard, promoting any and all outdoor activity, which has led to a steady rise in downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding and other wintertime activities as well, Riedel adds.
For many residents, outdoor sports means hunting – and a trip to retailer Bull’s Eye Sports.
“We are a big area for white-tail deer, but black bears are becoming a little more prevalent here now,” says Scott Schoenherr, who opened the sporting goods store in 1997. “We also have a lot of people coming in for fishing equipment, and continue to see our overall customer base grow. People are going out now throughout the year, not just when it’s warm.”
Story by Joe Morris
Photo by Todd Bennett
