La Crosse Board of Park Commissioners Meeting – April 16, 2026

The Board of Park Commissioners met on Thursday, April 16, 2026 (2026-04-16) in Council Chambers, 400 La Crosse Street, La Crosse, Wisconsin. The minutes list a 5:30 p.m. call to order and a 7:22 p.m. adjournment; the supplied timestamp records 11:30:00+00:00. Seven commissioners were present (Eileen Kirsch, Jennifer Trost, Lisa Weston, Patrick Wilson, Robert Young, Tim Alberts, Todd Olson) and Sandy Cleary was absent. The board approved minutes, an e-bike/scooter ordinance, fundraising approval, leases, three beautification applications, and three memorandums of understanding.

Notices and Discussions

• Staff announced the city’s Arbor Day celebration on Friday, April 24, 2026, at Myrick Park, beginning at 9 a.m. with a tree-planting ceremony and a proclamation from Mayor Sean Dell. The city is marking its 36th year as a Tree City USA-designated community.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Greg Peppen, 429 2nd Street, La Crosse, spoke during the public hearing on the e-bike/e-scooter ordinance. He said he uses Riverside Park as both a pedestrian and a cyclist and urged the board to keep the prohibition on bicycles using Riverside Park sidewalks. He cited the park’s heavy foot traffic, senior citizens, parents with strollers, wheelchair users, cruise-ship visitors, and Moon Tunes crowds, calling bike-on-sidewalk use an accident waiting to happen. He said he supported the e-bike portions of the ordinance and had provided an amendment that would add Riverside Park back to the prohibited list.
• Chuck Lee, president of Friends of the La Crosse River Marsh, spoke in favor of the group’s MOU, saying it was unchanged from the previous year and had established a good relationship with the city.

Discussion Items

Electric Bicycles, Scooters, and Other Vehicle Use Ordinance (26-0377)

Assistant City Attorney Ellen Atterbury presented the ordinance package, which updates multiple code sections, including park sections 34-67 and 34-68. She said the changes modernize outdated language, unify bicycle definitions, adopt state e-bike definitions, apply existing EPAMD restrictions to e-scooters/e-bikes, and prohibit bikes on natural-surface trails except those designated as open to bikes. She explained that e-bikes would be allowed with pedal assist but not with throttle engaged in areas such as Hickson Forest. She also said the ordinance would allow bicycles on Riverside Park sidewalks due to a downtown-definition update, although that use had previously been prohibited but not enforced.

Commissioner Olson asked about enforcement and was told reporting incidents to police was the main mechanism. Commissioner Kirsch said she opposed adult biking on sidewalks. Commissioner Young said he would not support the ordinance because he felt it vilified people using bikes, scooters, and e-motos for transportation. Councilmember Weston and the ordinance sponsor noted accessibility for elderly and disabled residents as a reason to support the compromise. Motion by Councilmember Weston, second by Commissioner Kirsch. The ordinance was approved 5–2.

Bluffview Basketball Court Lights Fundraising (26-0393)

Staff explained that a young resident, working with the Bluffside Neighborhood Association and its chair Jim Bagneski, requested approval to fundraise for basketball court lights at Bluffview Park, 2800 Jackson Street. The lights would be photocell-operated, shut off at 10 p.m., and used only in appropriate months. The department recommended allowing the fundraising and said hours could be adjusted administratively if neighborhood complaints emerged. Commissioner Alberts raised concerns about neighborhood outreach; staff noted flyers and online notices had been distributed and maintenance/vandalism questions would be handled with the association. Motion by Commissioner Kirsch, second by Commissioner Young; approved unanimously.

Girl Scout Building Update (26-0415)

Parks and Recreation Director Jay Odegaard gave an informational update on the former Girl Scout building near Highway 16 and East Relic Park. The Girl Scouts are giving up the building; the city owns the underlying land and will take back the building under the terms of a 99-year lease that began in 1980. The building is in disrepair, the city has no capital funds for it, and demolition alone was estimated at a minimum of $75,000. The city will release a Request for Interest (RFI) to seek organizations that could reuse the building, with a possible future Request for Proposals; sale or demolition remain options. No motion was requested.

Recreation Programs Update (26-0392)

Recreation staff reported on recently launched technology and upcoming programs:

• The new city website launched April 16, with improved accessibility and mobile navigation; about 60% of site visits are on mobile devices.
• The Parks and Recreation mobile app had over 500 downloads, including 320 in the previous month, and will support registrations, notifications, pool scan codes, and activity guides.
• Special Olympics La Crosse has over 200 athletes, runs 13 sports, and the Polar Plunge raised $96,000 against an $80,000 goal, with 435 registered participants and the third-highest fundraising total in Wisconsin.
• Senior excursions have had 10 trips so far in 2026; six upcoming trips through October are already sold out.
• Youth figure skating drew 77 and 66 participants in two sessions. Youth track has about 130 participants; youth basketball had 145 players; youth soccer has 350 players on 33 teams; adult volleyball and basketball combined had over 80 teams; adult softball will feature over 70 teams.
• Pools open June 1 through August 16, with open swim scheduled 1–7 p.m. and free admission on Father’s Day, July 4, and the final day of the season.

No formal action was taken.

Northwoods League Softball LLC Copeland Field Lease Extension (26-0394)

The board approved a one-year lease extension for use of Copeland Field. Staff noted the term should read from June 1, 2026 through May 31, 2027. Motion by Commissioner Olson, second by Commissioner Kirsch; approved unanimously.

Adopt-A-Site Program Presentation (26-0397)

UW-La Crosse intern Ryan Fitzgerald presented his completed Adopt-A-Site program, under which community organizations and businesses would adopt park sites and perform litter pickup, weeding, and minor garden maintenance at least three times a year. He said discussions with the La Crosse Loggers were ongoing about becoming the first adopting organization. No action was taken.

Federal Aviation Administration Lease (26-0409)

The board approved a lease between the City of La Crosse and the U.S. Department of Transportation/FAA for an FAA communications site off Rim of the City Road. The site has been in place since 1953, and the lease was previously at no cost; the new lease provides $1,500 per year to the city. Motion by Commissioner Olson, second by Commissioner Kirsch; approved unanimously.

Beautification Applications

The board considered three beautification applications submitted by the same applicant.

• 26-0398: Eric Sampson, lead landscape designer for Cooley Region Ecoscapes, presented a boulevard beautification project at 1522 Green Bay Street featuring native plantings, a third tree, and flagstone walkways. Approved unanimously.
• 26-0399: Beautification application for a section of the Bud Hendrickson Trail. Staff noted the city owns the parcel and the location allows additional plant species. Approved unanimously.
• 26-0400: Beautification application for 1907 Loomis Street. Approved unanimously.

Memorandums of Understanding

• 26-0402: Friends of the Blufflands MOU, unchanged from the prior year, approved 6–0 with one abstention (Commissioner Wilson abstained).
• 26-0403: Friends of the La Crosse River Marsh MOU, unchanged, approved unanimously after public support from Chuck Lee.
• 26-0404: Outdoor Recreation Alliance of the 7 Rivers Region (ORA) MOU, unchanged, approved unanimously.

Key Outcomes

• Previous meeting minutes approved unanimously.
• Electric bicycle/scooter/vehicle ordinance approved 5–2 and will advance with the board’s recommendation.
• Bluffview basketball court lights fundraising approved unanimously.
• Copeland Field lease extension approved unanimously.
• FAA lease approved unanimously, with a $1,500 annual payment to the city.
• Three beautification applications approved unanimously.
• Three MOUs approved; Friends of the Blufflands had one abstention.
• Girl Scout Building RFI is to be released the following day; future proposals are to return to the board.
• Adopt-A-Site program materials were presented for department consideration.