Committee approves five-year agreement with East Central for recreation plan

The New London Park and Recreation Committee on Feb. 4 approved an agreement with the East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission to prepare a five-year Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan.

The agreement was approved by motion: “motion to approval agreement with East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission for a 5 year comprehensive outdoor recreation plan,” moved by John Hass and seconded by John Pesche; the committee voted in favor and the motion carried.

The plan, commonly called a CORP, is required by state administrative code for local governments that want to remain eligible for Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources stewardship grants and other state and federal funding for parks, trails, boat ramps and land acquisition. Joe Stephenson, economic development planner for East Central, and Carmen Ebert, East Central staff, presented the commission’s proposed process, which the presenters described as a concise, graphics-forward plan that includes a park inventory, needs assessments, a five-year action plan and a community-engagement program that uses surveys and an interactive mapping tool.

Stephenson said East Central will conduct a park inventory and a needs analysis, work with city staff and the parks commission to develop goals and objectives, and run two rounds of community visioning and digital engagement in April–June with a target to complete the plan in September.

Committee members asked about the scope of the plan. Carmen Ebert confirmed the CORP is not limited to parks and green spaces but includes outdoor recreation broadly and can include indoor recreation facilities if the committee requests it. Committee members requested specific survey questions probing why residents leave New London for recreation outside town, with the aim of identifying gaps such as hockey or other organized sports not available locally; Ebert said the survey can be tailored and the committee will review draft questions.

Ginger, parks and recreation staff, said East Central’s work will include deliverable maps and GIS files that the city can use, and that the planning process will involve the parks board for goal recommendations. The committee approved the contract to proceed.

The committee did not set additional conditions beyond typical staff review; East Central will return draft outreach materials to city staff before public release.

The agreement’s approval makes the city eligible to apply for DNR stewardship grants that the presenters said typically fund park infrastructure, trails, boat ramps and land purchases.