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Barron County board approves Rice Lake School District plan for playground and child-care center
Summary
The Barron County Board approved a plan from the Rice Lake Area School District to site an outdoor playground next to a planned child-care program in the former student center; the district estimates a $1–$1.5 million construction cost and capacity for roughly 100–110 children ages 6 months to about 5 years.
The Barron County Board of Supervisors voted to approve the Rice Lake Area School District’s plan to install a playground and operate a child-care program in space the district is converting to a child-care center.
District administrator Randy Drost presented the plan and timeline. “It’s gonna be about a 1 to 1 and a half million dollar project,” Drost said, and the district aims to have the child-care center “operational by February 2026” if scheduling and bidding proceed as planned. He said the center would serve roughly 100 to 110 children from about 6 months to about 5 years of age.
Why this matters: County supervisors framed the project as a local service need and an asset for families and area businesses. Board members asked about safety, drainage and visibility from county buildings and the nearby Cedar Side Trail. Drost described design changes the district made after property-committee review: shifting some equipment closer to the building, leaving a sidewalk for required egress, and siting a black-coated fence and landscaping to screen sight lines. He told the board that code requires playground areas for child care to have a maximum slope of about 1 percent, a factor that influenced the final siting decision.
Board discussion and details: Several supervisors expressed support and described site visits. Supervisor Patty Anderson said she had visited the site and opposed major excavation near the river; Drost and property-committee members said the revised plan avoids heavy excavation and places the fence about 27 to 30 feet away from the trail at the closest point. The district also informed the board that lead paint has been removed and asbestos abated in the building and that the project will go to bid; Drost said bids were expected to be released by early October.
Outcome: Supervisor Bartlett moved and Supervisor Thompson seconded a motion “to approve this plan.” The motion passed with 25 yes and 4 absent.
What was not decided: The board’s approval was for the presented site plan; final construction contracts, exact budget line items and grant or county funding commitments were not specified at the meeting.
Next steps: The district will proceed to bid the work and continue coordination with county staff and the property committee.
