$50K WEDC grant boosts O’Neill Creek Trailhead project Play structure installed last week
The City of Neillsville will receive a $50,000 Vibrant Spaces Grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) to fund the continued development of the O’Neill Creek Trailhead in downtown Neillsville, the city announced Friday.
The Vibrant Spaces Grant Program is designed to help cities and towns revitalize underused spaces to build community and attract future residents. The goal of the grant program is for communities across the state of Wisconsin to invest in their workforce attraction and small business development by creating inviting, walkable spaces in their downtowns, gateway districts and economic centers.
“Investing in vibrant communities where people want to live, work and raise families is critical to attracting and retaining workers in our state,” said Missy Hughes, secretary and CEO of WEDC, the state’s leading economic development organization. “These grants will help communities create new gathering places in thriving downtowns to draw in residents, visitors, new businesses and investments.”
WEDC’s Vibrant Spaces Grant will support the first phase of the combined trailhead and playground project, which is already well on its way. A crew of 15 to 16 volunteers, including Neillsville Improvement Corporation members and other community members, set up the main play structure June 13 for the playground designed for children with special needs. The Neillsville Lions Club also put up a picnic shelter last fall. When complete, the O’Neill Creek Trailhead/Opelt Park will also include adult fitness stations, a wheelchair glider swing, kayak launch and public restrooms.
The recreational trail, the first halfmile of which is already open to the public, will provide a safe route for visitors and residents to walk and cycle in the city and enhance pedestrian access to the downtown. By creating walkable and accessible spaces in downtown Neillsville, the city aims to make Neillsville an attractive place to live, work and put down roots.
“O’Neill Creek Trail has been a part of the city’s strategic plan for many years, and the WEDC grant will help us to achieve that goal,” explained Neillsville Mayor Dewey Poeschel.
“It’s through projects of this type that we elevate the standard of living in our community. This is just one of the initiatives we are working on in an effort to attract and retain talent to fill local job vacancies and boost economic development.”
The Vibrant Spaces Grant Program is an initiative within WEDC’s Community Development and Investment Grant Program. Projects were evaluated based on their ability to create visible and pedestrian-oriented public spaces that attract and accommodate multiple users and activities. Successful projects demonstrated that they would benefit the local district, nearby businesses and the community as a whole. Communities were required to match grant funds and begin construction this summer. More information can be found at wedc.org/ programs-and-resources/vibrant-spaces/.
The new main playground structure at the O’Neill Creek Trailhead/Opelt Park in Neillsville stands complete after volunteers came out on June 13 to install the equipment. The all-inclusive playground will also include fitness stations for adults and the start of the Rails to Trails bike trail that is being planned to run to Granton. Volunteers from Pfeiffer Carpentry in Neillsville helped install the equipment.
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