History of Green Bay's Parks

Beaver Dam Park

In 1964 and 1965 the Board of Park Commissioners began the process for siting a new community park along Beaver Dam Creek in the area annexed from Hobart. and options were taken on three parcels ^a located west of Hobart Drive. ^{b c} The park board wanted to create a community park as distinquished from the smaller neighborhood park advocated by others. ^c Plans evolved rapidly, and the location of the proposed park switched to the other side of Hobart Drive. By May of 1965 the park board officially requested the Planning Commission to designate property on Hobart Drive for a park site. ^d By September, two parcels had been acquired, containing just over 12 acres. ^e The area was officially named Beaver Dam Park in December of 1965. ^f The final parcel, the eastern 10.6 acres, was acquired in 1967. ^g

An extended process of applying to the state for additional funds was pursued in 1966 and 1967, ^h when the project was accepted for matching funds. ⁱ The city applied for partial reimbursement of the cost of land acquisition from the Outdoor Resources Action Program ^j and in May of 1968 received the check for $12,951.00 from the ORAP Metropolitan Aids program to be used in the acquisition of Beaver Dam Park. ^k In September, the city received the first payment of matching funds from the Land and Water Conservation Program, a federally funded program known as LAWCON; the amount received was $1,998.75 and the city expected, over a five-year period, to receive a total of $10,875 in matching funds. ^l These funds were to reimburse half of each annual payment made by the city for the final 10.6 acre parcel. ^m As the park was developed, other aspects of the project were added to the LAWCON reimbursement, including shelter, basketball court, parking, playground, ice hockey rink, and landscaping ⁿ bringing the total for the project through 1971 to $47,964.40, of which LAWCON provided half, or $23,982.20. ^o

A 1965 design for the park included such features as an open shelter, playground, baseball diamond, softball field, ice hockey rink, and parking. ^p All these ideas were included in the park's development, but there was a major addition when it was decided that MacArthur School would be built within the southwest corner of the park. The park department offered the school district suggestions for the joint park-school site at Beaver Dam Park in 1967, including a Multi-purpose Recreation Room which would be used as a shelter and storage area for a neighborhood program. ^q The late decision to include the school entailed amending the park project agreement with the state as the design of the school developed. ^r In 1986, title to the school grounds was transferred from the city to the school district. ^s

The playground was improved in 1988 when the MacArthur School Parent Teacher Organization gave the Hardee's Playground Equipment given to us to the city, specifying that the students of MacArthur Elementary School will be allowed usage of equipment during all school hours as long as the school is in existence. ^t In 1991, the Park Department budgeted $1,500 for playground improvements, to match $1,500 previously raised by the MacArthur PTO. ^u The PTO raised still more funds in 2000, writing, The MacArthur PTO is happy to present this check to you, for $4,200.00 for the enhancement of the park located by our school. ^v

Notes

1. Option by Emil DeStarke and Ellena DeStarke to City of Green Bay dated November 12, 1964; option by Elsie Borremans to City of Green Bay dated December 14, 1964; option by Mark M. Minor and Blanche J. Minor to City of Green Bay, dated January 23, 1965. PRF File Park Areas: Beaver Dam Park Thru 1969.
2. These options would have placed the park in part of lots 29, 30, 31, 32, and 33 of Section 29, Township 24 North, Range 20 East. This is on the west side of of Hobart Drive, instead of the east side. This area now includes San Lorenz Drive, part of Sorrento Drive, and what are now the athletic fields behind Southwest High School. Brown County Land Information System, downloaded December 15, 2010.
3. Minutes of meeting of Board of Park Commissioners on March 15, 1965, including discussion about park type and size and resolution to city council requesting approval to purchase the larger park as optioned; a sketch map of the optioned property is included. PRF File Park Areas: Beaver Dam Park Thru 1969.
4. Copy of letter from Vernon Kreiser, Director of Parks and Recreation, to Ralph Bergman, City Planner, dated May 26, 1965, reporting action of the Board of Park Commissioners on May 18, 1965. PRF File Park Areas: Beaver Dam Park Thru 1969.
5. Copy of warranty deed, Andrew Rendemeister and Emma Rendemeister to City of Green Bay dated September 15, 1965 [Volume 410 page 431]; copy of warranty deed, Emil DeStarke and Ellena DeStarke to City of Green Bay dated September 16, 1956 [Volume 410 page 430]. Also included are appraisal letters from the Neufeld Appraisal Company for each of the three properties being acquired, all dated September 21, 1965:
   • Rendemeister: 7.14 acres at $2,800/acre
   • DeStarke: 5.08 acres at $2,700/acre
   • Schaetz: 9.54 acres at $2,280/acre (A note on the letter reads Reappraised March 27, 1967.)
   PRF File Park Areas: Beaver Dam Park Thru 1969.
6. Report of approval by city council of report from the plan commission endorsing a park at the northeast corner of West Point Road and Hobart Drive signed and sealed by Clifford Centen, City Clerk. (The highly official documentation was needed for the grant application.) A typed note on the document says, Area officially named Beaver Dam Park on December 1, 1965. PRF File Park Areas: Beaver Dam Park Thru 1969.
7. Copy of warranty deed, Margaret Schaetz to City of Green Bay dated July 24, 1967 [Volume 781 page 473], now listed the property as 10.66 acres; option from Schaetz to city dated February, 1967; copy promissary note by City of Green Bay to Margaret Schaetz for $27,982,50 to be paid in seven equal annual instalments; copy of resolution by Common Council that the City Clerk accept a deed from Margaret Schaetz with the price at $3,000 per acre, plus interest at the rate of 5% on the unpaid balance. This parcel is the eastern part of the park: That part of Lots 9 and 10, Section 28, Township 24 North, Range 20 East, lying Northerly of the Beaver Dam Creek Conservancy Area, and lying Westerly of the centerline of the proposed extension of Springdale Lane. PRF File Park Areas: Beaver Dam Park Thru 1969.
8. Copy park acquisition proposal to Wisconsin Conservation Department dated June 6 1966, for $10,875; copy park development proposal to Wisconsin Conservation Department dated September 28, 1966, for $3,070. PRF File Park Areas: Beaver Dam Park Thru 1969.
9. Signed project agreement between State of Wisconsin and City of Green Bay dated August 15, 1967, with a total amount of $33,760.00. PRF File Park Areas: Beaver Dam Park Thru 1969.
10. Amended request for reimbursement dated August 14, 1967, and approved April 19, 1968, listing acquisition costs of $31,980 for 10.6 acres from Margaret Schaetz and $11,592 for 4.14 acres from Andrew Rendmeister and claiming reimbursement for $12,951. PRF File Park Areas: Beaver Dam Park Thru 1969. The ORAP program is summarized in an article available from the Wisconsin Historical Society in Turning Points in Wsconsin History, http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/tp&CISOPTR=48793&CISOSHOW=48789, accessed December 18, 2010.
11. Copy of letter from Chet Miller, Director of Parks and Recreation, to Alvin E. Nelson, Division of Conservation, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, dated May 24, 1968; clipping from Green Bay Press-Gazette, City Given Grant For Park Purchase, the date given in a note as May 23, 1968; letter from Nelson to Miller, dated May 16, 1968, enclosing the check. PRF File Park Areas: Beaver Dam Park Thru 1969.
12. Copy of publicity release dated September 25, 1968. PRF File Park Areas: Beaver Dam Park Thru 1969.
13. Letter from Dale Marsh, Assistant Recreatin Coordinator, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, to Chet Miller, Director of Parks and Recreation, dated July 16, 1968, outlining the schedule of payments at the full 50% funding level. This letter notes that reimbursement could only cover 5 years of payments. If the payments to Schaetz could be compressed from 7 years into 5, LAWCON would have reimbursed half that total, or $10,875, but it appears that this change in payment schedule did not occur and that the total funding for this purpose was less. Also in the file are correspondence and vouchers documenting each annual payment. PRF File Park Areas: Beaver Dam Park Thru 1969.
14. Letter from Harry C. Mills, Recreational Aids Unit, Wisconsin DNR, to Chet Miller, Director, Parks and Recreation, dated August 14, 1970, conveying amendment to the LAWCAN project agreement; also letter from John A. Beale, Deputy Secretary, Wis. DNR, to Chet Miller, dated July 20, 1972, conveying a further amendment. PRF File Park Areas: Beaver Dam Park 1970 -.
15. Copy of letter from Chet Miller to Alvin E. Nelson, DNR Bureau of Aids Programs, dated February 11, 1972, conveying the final invoice for LAWCON funds. PRF File Park Areas: Beaver Dam Park 1970 -. This final invoice was paid August 1, 1972.
16. Design plan accompanying May 26, 1965, letter from Vernon Kreiser to Ralph Bergman (above, d). PRF File Park Areas: Beaver Dam Park Thru 1969.
17. Copy letter from Vernon H. Kreiser, Director of Parks and Recreation, to Edwin B. Olds, Superintendent of Schools, dated May 12, 1967. PRF File Park Areas: Beaver Dam Park Thru 1969.
18. Copy of letter from Vernon Krieser to Eric P. Jensen of the Department of Natural Resources dated Feburary 29, 1968, explaining a change in the configuration of the school; reply from Jensen to Kreiser dated March 8, 1968; an undated map (separated from these letters in the file) identifies the areas to be switched between park and school. PRF File Park Areas: Beaver Dam Park Thru 1969. Copy of letter from Chet Miller, Director of Parks and Recreation, to Dale E. Marsh, Department of Natural Resources, dated December 23, 1969, detailing revisions to layout and cost estimates. PRF File Park Areas: Beaver Dam Park 1970 -.
19. Copy of quitclaim deed, City of Green Bay to Green Bay Area Unified School District dated July 29, 1986; this transfer references and implements the reorganization of the school district from a joint district to a unified district in 1982. PRF File Park Areas: Beaver Dam Park 1970 -.
20. Letter from MacArthur School P.T.O. to Administrator of Gree Bay Parks and Recreation Department, dated November 15, 1988. Handwritten note reads: Approved 11-28-88 Chet Miller PRF File Park Areas: Beaver Dam Park 1970 -.
21. Letter from Alderman Donal P. Chartier, Jr, to Mayor and Common Council, undated, conveying the request of the PTO: They have raised $1500 of the needed $3,000 for playground equipment for the park. Handwritten note: Agreed to place in 1991 budget. PRF File Park Areas: Beaver Dam Park 1970 -.
22. Letter from Debbie Young, MacArthur Elementray School, to City of Green Bay Park Department, date May 19, 2000; copy of letter from Bill Landvatter to Young acknowleding receipt of the money with thanks. PRF File Park Areas: Beaver Dam Park 1970 -.
23. Only annotated statements have been verified. Any other historical statements are unverified and based on personal knowledge or informal notes kept by the Green Bay Parks, Recreation & Forestry Department.