Committee picks new sled hill location

NEW LONDON – The New London Parks & Recreation Committee has recommended that a new sled hill in the city be built in Hatten Park.
The committee made its recommendation at its July 7 meeting. The committee also recommended that the city hire McMahon Associates, Inc. at a cost of $7,000 to design the sled hill for Hatten Park. The recommendations need the approval of the New London Common Council, who was scheduled to discuss the matter at its July 21 meeting.
The need for a new sled hill was necessitated because the city’s new wastewater treatment facility will be constructed on property that houses the current sled hill in the city.
At the July 7 committee meeting, Ginger Sowle, director of the New London Parks & Recreation Department, told the committee that she submitted a request with the Wisconsin State Historical Society to review the request to have a sled hill built in Hatten Park.
“They had a few questions, but then decided after that it would not change the eligibility of the park, meaning it would stay a recreational field, so it still makes it eligible,” Sowle said. “It doesn’t alter any of the contributing resources like the shelter house or the stadium and things like that, so it is eligible to have a sled hill put in.”

Now that New London has the approval from the Wisconsin State Historical Society for a sled hill to be built in Hatten Park, Sowle told the committee that the city must now decide if that is the location that should be used for the sled hill. She said there are two locations in Hatten Park that could be used for a sled hill.
“The Kunkle Field or west of the ball diamond,” Sowle said.
She added that the city did have drawings completed for the Kunkle Field location.
“That’s where the old ball diamond was,” Sowle said.
The location has parking and a building that could be renovated into a year-round warming facility. The location also has a basketball court that needs to be upgraded. Sowle said it might be possible to upgrade the basketball court and then use the area for an ice rink in the winter.
This location would require some trees to be removed, Sowle said, adding that some of the trees are scheduled to be removed anyway because of ice storm damage or they are ash trees.
Ald. John Hass said that location would make the “most sense” for a sled hill because it is close to a middle school.
Committee Chairman Ald. Robert Besaw said that location would also be the easiest for hauling dirt to for building the new sled hill.
New London Mayor Mark Herter said the location “makes sense” because of the building onsite that can be renovated into a warming shelter.
Ald. BaLynda Croy asked how the size of a sled hill built at Hatten Park would compare to the city’s current sled hill.
Sowle said the size of the new sled hill would be “about the same” size as the current sled hill.
Ald. Tim Roberts asked if the sled hill at the new location would be in operation for the upcoming winter.
Sowle said the city’s current sled hill would still be used for the upcoming winter.