Crews and heavy equipment from Duffek Sand and Gravel cleared the final stages of the city's new bike and walking path at its northernmost point near North Elementary School Tuesday. |
Recreation path work advances July 8, 2009 Work is proceeding at a brisk pace on Antigo’s new bike path and boardwalk—a long anticipated project that was mired for months by bureaucratic and political delays.
Crews from Duffek Sand and Gravel, the low bidder, have carved much of the 1.75 mile bicycle and walking path from the shore of Antigo Lake to along Spring Brook north of Second Avenue, and this week were clearing and grubbing the final pathway areas near North Elementary School.
Wayne Dahlke, the project foreman for Duffek, said that crews will shortly begin digging out and graveling the pathways along the brook, with an eye toward paving the entire system by the end of August.
“We’re ahead of schedule,” he said.
The construction of the actual boardwalk and three fishing piers will be done next winter, when the ground is frozen and heavy equipment can be moved into the wetland areas.
According to Director of Administrative Services Dale Soumis, work will also begin shortly on the trail head plaza which will be located adjacent to the Fourth Avenue dam.
The plaza will be made out of patio bricks, 30 by 40 feet in area, surrounding by flower gardens, trees and shrubs and will be blended in with lakefront property owned by Lakeside Grocery and Pharmacy.
There will also be a length of 10-foot-wide asphalt bike trail from the main trail to Bryne Street and electric receptacles along the section of trail from Hudson Street west. The project also includes low-level LED lighting from Fourth to Second avenues.
Half of the project’s overall $1.2 million cost is being paid for through a state matching grant. The remainder of funds are being derived from two tax incremental finance districts and the Inland Lake District, which includes all property holders within the city limits.
Even through it is still under construction, the area is already gaining interest.
The Buckskinners Rendezvous in September plans to relocate from Lake Park to a small field surrounded by woods at the end of Virginia Street. Soumis said the path passes alongside the field, making it an ideal setting for the Buckskinners exhibits, demonstrations and rough tent camping.
The path and boardwalk had been in the discussion stage for years and wound their way through the various committees, Common Council and Inland Lake District votes over the past year.
The project was almost delayed again this spring when a local resident raised objections over the Department of Natural Resources permitting process. After a hearing and lengthy investigation, the necessary documents were approved in mid-May.
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