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Algoma accepts $558,000 grant to redesign Olsen Park and moves snow-dump plan
Summary
The council unanimously approved accepting a $558,000 grant to convert Olsen Park from a parking lot to a nature-focused park and agreed to relocate the city’s snow-dump area to Sunset and Felt to avoid runoff into the boat ramp.
The Algoma City Council voted to accept a $558,000 grant that will fund a redesigned Olsen Park emphasizing trails, natural areas and continued boat/kayak launches. Staff said the grant requires no city cash match and will allow the city to replace a parking-lot configuration with a more natural park layout.
City staff described the funding package as composed of $283,000 from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, $70,000 from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, $140,000 from Funds for Lake Michigan, $40,000 from local foundations and $5,000 in-kind from Friends of Creston Beach; the city will provide $20,000 in in-kind labor, leaving a total cash project amount of $533,000 after in-kind deductions. Staff said grant funds become available April 1 and the city will administer the award in partnership with LNRP.
As part of the park discussion, staff proposed relocating the city’s snow-dump site to the corner of Sunset and Felt (the same area under consideration for the fire station site) and to develop the area as a graded gravel lay-down yard with a vegetated filter strip that would prevent meltwater and salt runoff from reaching Silver Creek and downstream waters. Staff said the new location is intended to stop meltwater from being concentrated at Olsen Park’s current boat-ramp area, where runoff currently flows toward the river.
During the discussion council members asked technical questions about filtration and property boundaries; staff explained the snow-melt would be directed into grassed areas serving as a filter strip and said the proposed site sits on property where the grade drops toward the headwaters of Silver Creek. The council approved a motion to accept the grant and to designate the Sunset & Felt site as the snow-dump location; the motion passed on roll call.
The grant acceptance directs staff to implement the grant administration steps and to move forward with site preparation once funds are received. No construction schedule or contractor was selected at the meeting.
