Wrapping it up: Your weekly update on the city of Wisconsin Rapids
By Taylor J. Hale
Staff Writer
WISCONSIN RAPIDS – Mayor Zack Vruwink spoke with City Times staff to give an update on all things Wisconsin Rapids. This week, Vruwink discussed the possibilities of a dog park and FEMA reimbursement funding.
Interim dog park plans change
Vruwink said a local group’s plan to develop a temporary dog park near South Wood County Airport property has ceased.
Dog park enthusiasts are now in the process of seeking a new location, though Vruwink says plans are still up in the air.
“The group is no longer wishing to pursue that property for an interim site,” Vruwink explained. “They decided to go back to the drawing board and look for where a more permanent, long-range option could be.”
Vruwink added that the group of citizens is not a formally organized collective, but rather a gathering of local dog park enthusiasts. He said that the group is now contemplating options outside of Wisconsin Rapids.
The search for a new dog park started after the city’s former park, near the landfill, located on the corner of 17th Avenue North and Bonow Avenue, closed in August. Vruwink said the group is currently looking for a location and could start developing a dog park this spring.
City leaders work with FEMA for storm reimbursement
Officials are working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to collect reimbursement funding for costly repairs and restorations after the July 20 storm.
Vruwink noted that the city could see $700,000 in funding for damaged properties and personnel-hours alone, with other factors still being calculated by FEMA representatives.
The exact reimbursement the city will get is still unknown, but Vruwink said the funding would help the city plant new trees and maintain urban forests scattered throughout Wisconsin Rapids.
Some places in the city are still affected after the summer storm. Vruwink said Robinson Park and some surrounding areas still need tree removal and restoration.
Check the Wisconsin Rapids City Times for bi-weekly updates with Mayor Zack Vruwink.
