A citizen group has been formed to look at ways to improve and utilize Riverside Park in Eagle River. Its first organizational meeting took place Oct. 6 at the Vilas County Courthouse.

Under the official name of Riverside Park and Vilas County Fairgrounds Visioning Citizen’s Group, five leaders were chosen during the public meeting to gather intel on how the park can go from an unused green space into a thriving hub of activity for the area — ideally one that creates a revenue stream.

Although community volunteers who have pitched in to bring ideas forward number close to 200, about 25 were in attendance at the meeting. The five citizens chosen as leaders include Bill Marshall, Nancy Moriarity, Joe Panci, Dottie Reeder, and Steve Sparks.

According to Marshall, each of these volunteer leaders brings different gifts and skills to the table. They will rotate the task of moderating upcoming meetings based on their unique backgrounds. Going forward, they will not only lead meetings, but also relay ideas and updates to the Forestry Committee for discussion, which can then move on to the county board.

These leaders will work closely with members of the Agricultural Society, area chambers, tribal groups, and economic development organizations to suss out the best uses for the land.

From the beginning, Marshall has indicated a great need for professional guidance on this project, stressing the importance of a comprehensive land use study. He and the other leaders also intend to look into grant opportunities to help pay for these initiatives, as well as other ways to generate revenue.

Group background

The formation of the group has seen some stumbling blocks along the way. Initial calls to create a committee to gather information and ideas were originally voiced by county board supervisors last January, when the county voted not to sell Riverside Park and subdivide it into private parcels.

In June, Vilas County Chairman Jerry Burkett appointed a group of county board supervisors, citizens, and Eagle River officials to what was called a “beautification committee,” but discussion was tabled during the meeting and ultimately never brought back to finalize committee details.

Supervisor Holly Tomlanovich, who also chairs the Forestry, Land and Recreation Committee, acted as the moderator for the Oct. 6 public meeting. She explained that Vilas County Corporate Counsel Josh Crownover indicated recently that this body cannot be an official county committee. Forest Administrator Chad Keranen also noted that, according to Crownover, the group cannot be called a committee in order to avoid confusion, and should instead be referred to as a citizen’s group.

Some citizen members questioned how much validity the group would ultimately have if it wasn’t a true county committee. Tomlanovich cited numerous occasions where citizen-led volunteer groups were able to bring their ideas to the county level and make meaningful change.

Early ideas look promising

A number of recreation groups have already expressed interest in bringing more activities and amenities to Riverside Park, including equestrian, off-highway motorcycle, and pickleball organizations, as well as county department heads like Don Merten, who runs the Vilas County Parks and Recreation Department.

Tomlanovich said talks at the Oct. 6 Forestry Committee meeting held prior to the organizational meeting were “one of the best discussion meetings we’ve had.”

“I welcome any ideas so that we can come up with a conclusion for Riverside Park, and have it be a happy conclusion … I just want this to be a positive experience. There’s been far too much negative on Facebook. Not only negative, but a lot of misinformation.”

Merten brought in a presentation of ideas he brainstormed to enhance the area, including adding a pavilion, splash pad, boat landing, and additional piers to boost attendance while maintaining a Northwoods feel.
Citizens also spoke during the meeting to offer suggestions they deemed important, including recognizing the tribal heritage of the park, creating a four-season destination, and generating local revenue.

City says no illegality here

Tomlanovich provided clarification on the background of the citizen group’s formation as well as the ownership of Riverside Park and the fairgrounds area.

Riverside Park — not to be confused with Riverview Park, where the bandshell is located — is owned by the county but resides within the city limits of Eagle River. The park is located near the Vilas County Fairgrounds, which is operated by the Agricultural Society under a five-year lease from the county.

“Even though the park is owned by Vilas County, the county still has to adhere to the rules and guidelines that the city has in place,” Tomlanovich said.

Late last year, the city changed the zoning of the park from Parks and Recreation to Single Two-Family Residential in preparation for the county’s plan to sell the property. After moving to the county board, the sale was voted down due to intense public opposition, though some residents would still like to see the parcel revert to its original zoning designation.

Questions regarding the legality of the initial zoning change were brought up during the Oct. 6 meeting, which Eagle River City and Zoning Administrator Robin Ginner addressed. Ginner noted she has fielded a number of calls from citizens asking to change the zoning designation back to parks and recreation.
“Parks is something that is allowable under current zoning,” Ginner noted, adding that nothing changed operationally from the initial zoning, as both designations allow the land to be used as a park.

As the owner of the land, Ginner said any request for a zoning change must originate from the county level.

“The city attorney has recommended that we do not change the zoning under any circumstances until the county board moves on what it wants to see done there,” Ginner explained. “All these requests and letters and all this stuff aren’t going to do anything until the county board moves and decides what it wants to do.”

Tomlanovich mentioned that the Forestry, Land and Recreation Committee voted several months ago to fill out an application and pay the fee to change the zoning back to Parks and Recreation, which was sent to the city and returned. Ginner explained that the full county board — not just an appointed committee — would need to vote on the change as the entity that owns the land. The Forestry Committee itself does not own the property.

“I want everyone to understand what happened there,” Tomlanovich said to attendees.

MSA Engineering had submitted the original request for the zoning change on behalf of the county board.

“I’m not sure why people think it’s illegal,” Ginner said.

Going forward

Now that a leadership team is in place, the citizen’s group plans to meet regularly to prioritize its next steps.
With significant interest already expressed by various organizations, leaders are looking toward the future.

Nan Andrews, a Town of Lincoln resident and park supporter, urged the group to draft a clear mission statement laying out its purpose, objectives, and priorities.

The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 2, at 1 p.m., at a location to be determined.