NEW LONDON (NBC 26) — Neighbors and supporters of Mosquito Hill Nature Center gathered Thursday night for the final listening session to discuss a proposed master plan that has been dormant since 2018.
The small but passionate crowd expressed mixed reactions to the seven-year-old plan, which is now being revisited by Outagamie County Parks after sitting on the backburner for years.
Plan revival sparks community discussion
Keith Bassage, current president of the Friends of Mosquito Hill group, said discussions about the master plan began a few months ago after years of inactivity.
"We're using these sessions to hopefully get some new, updated information, and we can, kind of, 'tweak' the plan," Bassage said.
According to the presentation, the master plan for the nature center was first introduced in 2018 but then stalled for unknown reasons.
"And then it died? For some reason, I'm not sure why. But it just stopped," Bassage said.
2018 plan includes controversial elements
The original 2018 plan outlined several changes to the nature center, including adding more parking on top of the hill, widening pre-existing roads to accommodate higher traffic and utilizing space around the property for events like weddings.
Community members showed mixed reactions to different aspects of the plan. Some attendees expressed enthusiasm for certain proposals.
"I'm most excited about the playground. I have grandkids, and that is where they would be," one attendee said.
However, others strongly opposed specific elements, particularly development on the hill.
"100% of our members don't want to see any development on top of the hill," one person said.
"Leave the top of the hill alone. For goodness sake. Do not put a parking lot...[up there]," another attendee added.
Director emphasizes flexibility and public input
Justin Schumacher, director of the Outagamie Parks System, stressed that the 2018 plan would not be implemented as originally proposed and that public input would guide any future decisions.
"I'm not married to any of this. Are there things I'd like to see improved? Absolutely. Would I like to see 200 people a day utilizing the nature day and classes booked out for a year? That would mean we are executing our mission. I want the public to let us know how to do that," Schumacher said.
Public feedback sought
Outagamie County Parks has a survey open until the end of the month seeking feedback on what people want for the future of Mosquito Hill Nature Center.
The listening sessions represent an effort to gather community input before moving forward with any modifications to the beloved nature center.
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