The Oulu Pioneer Memorial Park Ad Hoc Committee was called to order by Tim Ciembronowicz.
Present: Tim Ciembronowicz, Darienne McNamara, Lindsay Hogfeldt.
Committee Positions
Board liaison: Tim Ciembronowicz
Financial secretary: tabled until next meeting when more members are present
Bayfield County Health Infrastructure Grant
• Drafted letter of support for town board to approve (attached, last page)
• Decided to request full amount of $5K for new playground equipment since this was the highest
priority in the community survey
• Tim Ciembronowicz will attend board meeting on April 22 to request board approval of grant proposal
Liability Questions
We need town board to ask insurance company for guidance on what can be installed at the park. Can we install homemade equipment, or do we have to go with manufactured equipment? If we can do homemade, are there standards we’d have to follow? If we do manufactured, any particular standards to look for, signage to use regarding liability/risk, etc.? Anything else insurance company wants us to know?
Diana Reijo indicated committee members cannot communicate directly with insurance company, so Tim will ask board to pass along our questions at the April 22, 2023 meeting.
Current park budget
$17,860 Town budget for park – need roughly $2-3K annually for upkeep/maintenance
$ 5,000 Enbridge grant
$ 1,000 Iron River Foundation grant
Anonymous donor pledged $15,000 to match other funds raised (not town budget)
$29,860 TOTAL AVAILABLE (includes $6K of match for Enbridge and Iron River Foundation grants)
Priorities from 2019 community survey, listed in order of votes (with notes from first committee meeting on March 29)
1. New playground equipment
a. Concerns about high cost of pre-fab structures, some members don’t think they’re worth the cost
Some members prefer locally made wooden structures, there were offers to help build new
equipment if materials were purchased. Ideas for equipment that would be easy to build,
affordable, and fun:
• Horseshoe
• Gaga ball pit
• Tetherball
• Sand pit
• Tire swings
• Balance beams
2. New permanent bathroom facility (updated w/accessibility)
a. Members agree best option is to stick with porta-potties until a community center or similar facility
is constructed at the park
b. Who from town board will oversee porta-potty contract? Need to make sure they’re regularly
cleaned out, got filthy a few times last year.
3. Improvements to picnic shelters and pavilion
a. Talked about desire to block the wind in pavilion, maybe add simple window frames that swing
open
4. Ballpark upgrades
a. Lindsay Hogfeldt talked to South Shore Education Foundation about funding for maintaining
structures/equipment, they won’t fund maintenance (ex. fixing dugouts) but will fund new things
(ex. new sign)
5. Adding activities: pump track, Disc Golf, Fitness Trail, Bike Park
a. Did not discuss at March 29 meeting
6. Improve signs
a. Did not discuss at March 29 meeting
7. Parking lot improvements
a. Did not discuss at March 29 meeting
8. New Community Center located at Park
a. Did not discuss much at March 29 meeting
Respectfully submitted,
Timothy Ciembronowicz,
Board Liaison