New Public Works facility, splash pad in Swan Park planned

By Robert Cloud

Among its biggest plans for 2023, the city of Waupaca plans to begin construction of a new Public Works facility.

The building will house the Water, Streets and Public works departments, as well as provide offices for the director of Public Works and the Streets supervisor.

Currently, these departments are spread across four separate, aging buildings throughout the city.

Only the Wastewater Treatment Department will not be in the new building. The department continues to make improvements to its current treatment plant and sewer lines.

Common Council initially approved costs of $7 million for the project, but in response to rising costs due to inflation and material shortages, they increased that amount to $9 million.

Mayor Brian Smith said the city will not borrow the full $9 million “until we know what the costs will be.”

City Administrator Aaron Jenson said several enterprise funds, such as water/sewer and Waupaca Online, will contribute to payment of the loans.

The facility will be located at what is now Haberkorn Field.

Swan Park

The city plans to complete work on its splash pad and playground upgrade at Swan Park in June 2023.

Waupaca broke ground on the project in September 2022.

Project costs totaled about $1.5 million. The city paid $75,000 and the state Department of Natural Resources provided $334,00.

“Not just tax dollars but private donations played a role,” Smith said, noting that more than half the costs for the improvements were covered by donations.

Creating the park cost $4 million, but the city only paid $1 million.

In addition to the land being donated, local businesses and organizations donated nearly 75% of the total costs.

Other improvement projects since the park opened include a sledding hill, a fourth ballfield, a community garden, a playground, and resurfacing the tennis and volleyball courts.

Additional grants

In September 2020, the city, chamber of commerce and school district jointly hired Greg Grohman as a full-time grant writer.

Within his first year, Grohman’s efforts generated $1.43 million in grant funding.

To date, 40 local projects and programs have received $3.137 million, Smith said.

Smith said Tim and Joy Neuville donated $50,000 toward hiring a grant writer.

“We probably would never have been able to do this without support from the Neuvilles,” Smith said.

He said Grohman’s success proves that “intergovernmentally, we can work together.”

Community policing

The Waupaca Police Department will continue to be involved in the community in 2023.

Over the past few years, Waupaca police officers have spoken to students about suicide prevention and mental health issues; provided active shooter training programs to businesses and schools; and made presentations to businesses on how to identify scams.

Recently, Capt. John Helgeson announced his retirement from the Waupaca Police Department.

Smith noted that the department has a good track record of training successors and promoting from within.

City staff

“We have the best staff across departments,” Smith said. “They do exceptional work.”

Jenson pointed to the “synergy” between staff and council.