WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAU) -- The peak season has passed for many city and county park activities, but crews are busy getting ready for winter. Wausau and Marathon County Parks Director Bill Duncanson says there’s still time to enjoy many activities at the parks, but you will see crews getting things just right for the long winter. “You know, the hand pumps, they operate all winter long, but where we do have pressurized water systems, a number of them need to be winterized. We’re not doing that yet, but probably within the next month, we’ll be doing it. Our campgrounds are still open and available for people to go out and enjoy themselves.”
The grass doesn’t grow as fast now, but there’s still mowing to do. One big mowing project is on the cross country ski trails. “Out at Nine Mile, we’re making sure that the ski trails are mowed, so we’ve got minimum grass heights and they’re level, so we can open them up with a minimum amount of snow. Same at Sylvan Hill on the city’s side of our operation, getting that ready for snowmaking heading towards the tubing season.”
Duncanson says there will be some changes in fees this year and next year. He says several fees will be going up about 3% to cover operating costs. Duncanson says the most noticeable fee increase this fall is for skiing. “There’s a very small increase in family pass costs at Nine Mile Cross Country Ski Area. We haven’t changed that fee for about ten years, and our costs of operation are going up with higher levels of grooming and we’re acquiring a second, very high level groomer this year at a cost of about $130,000 dollars.”
Another update for next summer’s activities: Duncanson says demolition is complete at the Kaiser Pool in Wausau, and they are already pouring concrete on the new structure and pool shell. He is optimistic the new pool will be ready by the 4th of July.
(Listen to our interview with Bill Duncanson on our website, here.)