The Monona Campus

Walking and driving around Monona this evening I was reminded what great place this is to live. The Winnequah Park central city campus is unique in Wisconsin to my knowledge. My job for the state Railroad Commissioner takes me to pretty much anywhere that has a railroad, so I have traveled to many, many Wisconsin municipalities and used their municipal facilities - I just can't recall another place quite like what we have. Did you know that school kids from Mineral Point (and many other places) come to Monona to visit Winnequah Park?

On a warm summer evening you are likely to see a busy attractive pool and likewise the library. The skatepark has exceeded even my wildest expectations. Softball is in full swing. The new shelter looks beautiful. And of course, the community's gift to itself, the M.Y. Dream Park. Anyone looking for a livable community should come to Monona. Period.

Of course, parking is at a premium right now and is only going to get tighter when Healy Lane/Schluter Road construction gets under way. A parking flyer is supposed to posted on the city's web site (it's down right now).

The parking lots at Winnequah School are closed and likely will be until the end of the summer. By the way, you may have noticed that the construction fence cuts off access to the pathway that runs through Winnequah Park between the lower parking lot and the adult softball diamonds. I inquired with the school district and was informed that the pathway is on school property and the contractor felt that they needed a safety buffer. Gary Schumacher cordially said he would ask the project manager to take another look at the situation.

It's also interesting to look back at the original plan by the then-Village of Monona and implemented under the supervision of Village Eningeer Paul Rapp in 1962 and 1963. They had a vision and its been pretty closely held to , except for the absence of a 9-hole golf course!). The Park Committee members at the time were George Lighbourn, Harold Gohre, and Robert Sweeney. The details can be found in Dorothy Haines' wonderful book Monona in the Making: History of the City of Pride, 1938-1975.