History of Green Bay's Parks

Gagnon Park

(formerly Oakdale Park)

The land was purchased for this park by the Town of Preble for a public school or park, January 20, 1956. With consolidation in 1965, the City gained title to two lots (33 & 34) in the Oakdale Plat, which was used as a small picnic area. After several attempts, an area of about 5.1 acres at the rear of these two lots was turned over to the City by the Board of Education in lieu of paying accumulated assessments in 1970-71. For many years this property had been used by the Little League sponsored by the Northwest Kiwanis Club (Northside Preble Kiwanis). The Department maintains the area, but it is too small for neighborhood park development and close to other park areas.


1993 - The Northeast Kiwanis Baseball League was given permission to construct storage sheds at Danz and Oakdale ball diamonds.

1999 - The Park Committee and Common Council approved renaming the park to Joseph Gagnon, Jr. Park. Mr. Gagnon had been a member of the Town of Preble Park Board. In that capacity, he was instrumental in acquiring land and developing many parks in the Preble area. He was also involved with Little Leagues. Meeting minutes January 12, 1999 PRF file "Atkinson Park".


Incomplete

Oakdale Park was one of the parks of the Town of Preble until the town consolidated with Green Bay in July of 1965. The park as taken over by the city contained 0.639 acre. 1 The town had purchased the original property in 1960 for $5,500 from the estate of Elmer F. Morris. 2


Notes

1 Park Sites, Former Town of Preble, one undated Page 13 of some larger report. PRF file Park Areas: Preble Park.
2 Informal combined abstract for Town of Preble parks, handwritten version, dated 11/64; same information, typed version, undated; photocopies of covers from the actual abstracts, Northern Abstract Company, no date visible in the copies. The transfer was by an Administrator's Deed by John Wood as administrator of the estate; it was recorded at Volume 367, Page 589, on February 21, 1961. PRF file CONSOLIDATION: Preble and Green Bay. (The typed version is also found in PRF file Park Areas: Preble Park.)

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.
Last update: July, 2013
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