The Hodag Park playground proposed by the Rhinelander Kiwanis Club will include a splash pad. Submitted photo.

Fundraising underway

By Eileen Persike

Editor

RHINELANDER – More enhancements are being planned for Hodag Park. The Rhinelander Kiwanis Club is fundraising to construct a new $1.6 million playground and splash pad to be located near the site of the current playground.

Kiwanis member Brandon Karaba is spearheading the project and presented the club’s ideas to the City Council April 22. Plans include a 13,0000 square-foot accessible playground, covered picnic tables and a 3,000-square foot splash pad.

“If we can hit the $1.1 million mark in donations this year, we can get the playground in this fall,” Karaba said. “And if we exceed that amount, we can also get the site prepped for the splash pad.”

Local businesses and private individuals have already pledged $779,000 toward construction, including $20,000 from the Kiwanis Club.

At the city council meeting, Karaba said he and Rhinelander City Administrator Patrick Reagan and Parks Department Director Jeremy Biolo began talking about revamping one of the city’s parks about six months ago. “The discussion started with Hodag Park and it really took off from there,” he added.

Added into the mix could be renovated restrooms, located at the park’s entrance – something Karaba said his donors “highly, highly, highly, highly suggest” be included.

Lee Recreation, the company that installed the current playground equipment 30 years ago has been tapped to construct the new playground. Karaba told the council initial plans include a five-foot walking path all the way around it and inside the path will not be grass, but rather a four-inch rubber turf. The turf is permeable so water will go through it. Some of the playground features would include two zip lines, an area for ages two to five and an area for age five and up, with age-appropriate components such as several slides, a rock climbing wall, a place to make noise and shaded areas.

KSW Construction will be the general contractor.

Karaba and Reagan both said there need to be further discussions regarding water drainage, permitting and annual costs that will be the responsibility of the city.

Kiwanis is currently accepting donations, which can be made by contacting Karaba at 715-218-8139 or [email protected].

Donations can also be made to the Rhinelander Community Foundation, via the Hodag Parks Improvement Fund. Checks should be made payable to Rhinelander Community Foundation and designated to the HPIF in the check memo and can be designated specifically for the splash pad or playground at the donor’s request. The Hodag Parks Improvement Fund was established in 2016 to provide financial grants for priority projects at Hodag Park. Any size donation is welcome and is nonrefundable.

In addition to its initial $20,000 donation, the Rhinelander Kiwanis will hold a Hodag Park/Splash Pad summer raffle fundraiser with proceeds dedicated to the project.

“The Kiwanis mission has always been to give back to the children in the Rhinelander community,” Karaba said. “This is a project that so many kids will be able to use for many years to come.”

Past club projects consist of the Pioneer Park playground equipment, the two outdoor basketball courts at Central Elementary School, the trail system behind the YMCA of the Northwoods, the ArtStart Children’s Classroom, among others.

“We couldn’t have done these past projects without the help of this amazing community,” Karaba continued. “There were a lot of businesses and families that have donated their time and money to these Kiwanis projects.”

Periodic updates to the fundraising efforts and other project news can be found on the Kiwanis Club of Rhinelander’s Facebook page.