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Mayor favors original Foelsch Park site for Piechowski Memorial Shelter after donor proposes riverside location
Summary
Mayor Ben Holien said an Ashley Furniture representative, via donor Ron Wanek, offered $40,000 toward a riverside location for the Piechowski Memorial Shelter, but Holien warned the riverside plan would add tree-clearance, new entrances and landscaping costs and prefers building the shelter in the original park location this year with a possible future riverside overlook.
Mayor Ben Holien said the city met with donor Ron Wanek and Ashley Furniture representatives about plans for the Piechowski Memorial Shelter at Foelsch Park and that Wanek has offered $40,000 toward the project. Holien said Wanek and his representatives prefer a riverside location that would require cutting trees, new entrances and additional landscaping, but Holien said those site changes risk exceeding the funds the City has set aside and the $40,000 donation.
Holien said he would like to proceed this year with construction at the shelter’s original, inland park site and discussed instead pursuing a separate future project to add a riverside overlook. He asked City Superintendent Stan Meier and staff to gather new masonry quotes for pillars and to update estimates for larger concrete pads and the shelter structure so the Council can assess total cost implications.
The mayor also asked staff to keep Foelsch Park maintained year-round — specifically to use weed eaters around benches, signs and trails — and requested Speltz provide updated quotes for the project. The Council did not take a formal vote on a final site but directed staff to obtain revised cost estimates and indicated a preference to move forward this year if the updated quotes align with the City’s budget.
The matter remains open pending the updated masonry and concrete quotes; Holien said a riverside overlook could be proposed as a separate future project rather than changing the current shelter site.
