Star Journal

Rhinelander area residents will have the opportunity to give their input on initial plans for redevelopment at Hodag Park. Landscape architect Justin Frahm, with JSD Professional Services was hired to consult with the city on a design for Hodag Park. An open house is scheduled for Tuesday, March 5, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Rhinelander City Hall.

During a goal-setting and strategy special meeting of the common council in December, city officials directed administrator Daniel Guild to start updating plans for the redevelopment of Hodag Park.

 “I am very excited about this initiative,” said Guild. “Hodag Park was the first stop during my tour of Rhinelander. Working with a waterfront recreation space like this is an amazing opportunity.”

The scope of services for the work plan between the city and JSD Professional Services is for Frahm to review the last decade’s worth of city planning documents, minutes from past parks task force meetings, documents from the previous parks committee meetings, among others, and provide a complete design which incorporates all the current elements and desired improvements from present stakeholders and past public feedback.

Frahm has spent the last 45 days reviewing these documents with Guild and parks director Jeremy Biolo. Frahm’s work is expected to become the foundation for a plan for future improvements to Hodag Park.

“There are a lot of stakeholders invested in what is happens at Hodag Park,” said Biolo. “This work product does not commit the city to doing all, or even some, of the work being proposed by the consultant. It is a first step, but a critical one for prioritizing future improvements.”

At Tuesday’s open house, people will be able to review the first round of designs, interact with Frahm and city officials, and provide them with reactions and feedback. A formal presentation of Frahm’s work product and preliminary concepts will follow at the city’s Plan Commission meeting at 6 p.m.

“Hodag Park is a special place for all Rhinelander residents, and has enormous potential to be one of the premier municipal parks in northeastern Wisconsin,” said Mayor Chris Frederickson. “One of the reasons I ran for office was to see the city stop neglecting our prized assets and building a community for the future. This work significantly advances those aspirations.”