River Prairie enters next phase
Saturday, April 22, 2017
Andrew Dowd | Leader-Telegram
Altoona turns focus to attracting visitors to new park, event center
ALTOONA - After Altoona finishes building an event center and park this year in its River Prairie development, the city will focus on ways to attract people to them.
City Administrator Michael Golat spoke Friday morning about live music, family activities, recreation and restaurants as amenities that will draw people to Altoona's development off U.S. 53.
"Quality of life is what's driving thriving communities," he said.
To underscore Altoona's interest in hosting concerts at the new park, Golat invited local musicians John and Rose Vincent to perform a few songs before his speech in front of more than 100 local business and government leaders at the Eau Claire Golf & Country Club. The presentation is part of the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce's monthly Eggs & Issues series.
Golat spoke about public improvements and businesses that will finish construction this year at River Prairie.
Slated for completion between September and October, the new city park will have an amphitheater along the Eau Claire River with space for 4,000 people and a second performance area with a canopy where about 2,000 can gather. The park also will feature a splash pad and playground for children.
"Really it starts with kids as far as I'm concerned for that park," he said.
Also in River Prairie, the 8,500-square-foot city event center that will be finished this summer will be able to accommodate gatherings of up to 250 at chairs and tables or 350 for standing room.
Recreational features include a boat launch into the Eau Claire River and the event center will have sports equipment available for rent.
Golat referred to this section of River Prairie as an "entertainment district" for the events planned by the city and restaurants being built nearby.
Cowboy Jack's and pizza restaurant Za 51 both plan to open around June.
"It's a beautiful location on the river," said Paul Madsen, one of three partners in the Cowboy Jack's restaurant being built at River Prairie. Other partners in the local Cowboy Jack's are Bill Albright and Shawn Rauckman, and Eau Claire-based Larson Companies will run the restaurant.
Madsen said the restaurant will have a large patio with outdoor seating and live music will be planned on weekends.
Golat said the city is in discussions with additional eateries about spots in River Prairie.
Art also will be part of River Prairie with four pedestals for large sculptures and the city looking for other ways to incorporate art into the park area.
The city also is reserving space for community gardens, which are envisioned for use by those living in 150 apartments under construction at the development.
Over at River Prairie on Friday morning, work proceeded on new apartments and other buildings amid the businesses that had already opened there in the past few years.
Golat recalled that bustling construction at the development was not the case when he was hired by the city in early 2006.
Back then the tax increment financing district established for River Prairie was $6 million in debt, he said, which forced the city to take out a $500,000 emergency loan at one point just to make payroll.
"We had some rocky times, but we got through them," Golat said.
Now Altoona's budget includes a $5 million surplus from land sales at River Prairie, and the city's growth has prompted it to add new positions to the municipal workforce.
Contact: 715-833-9204, andrew.dowd@ecpc.com, @ADowd_LT on Twitter Read more about this article »
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