Second Ward Alder Person/City Council President, Ken Schultz, reports that the city has never abandoned the idea of an ATV campground in Shell Lake and it has been on the drawing board for years.
Ken Schultz
There have been many bumps in the road to accomplishing this, but he predicts that the campground will be ready for use as early as spring, 2019.
The financing for this expensive project comes from both Wisconsin's Off-Road Vehicle Association (ORV) which obtains their revenues from the various recreational fees charged throughout the state and then distributes them as needed and the Department of Natural Resources' Recreational Trail Aids Grant.
The first money awarded to Shell Lake for the project bought the fifteen rough acres of land bordered by East Highway B, Lind Avenue, and Highway 63. Land that initially belonged to the Shell Lake Cemetery Association.
The next influx of cash went toward clearing the land with funds that had been approved of after showing proof that the first funds were used in the manner for which it was designated.
Work is ongoing for the new campground
The third influx of funds from the ORV covers the work that is currently being done; the addition of water, sewer and electricity and the rough grading.
When the approval for the work done is finished, the final money is slated for a centrally located handicap accessible toilet and shower building, and a pavilion, along with individual fire rings, picnic tables and electricity at each of the sites.
Click image above to view in higher-resolution (pdf).
There will be 28 sites scattered around the campground, each a 16 x 80 foot graveled pad in this rustic and heavily wooded campground area. Suggested fees are estimated at $35 a night with a two-week maximum stay. The daily upkeep of this new site will be included in the duties of the regular campground managers, and the lifeguards and reservations will need to be made through the regular campground also.
Once the ATV campground is finished, Phase Two is to add a free day-parking lot next to the campground under the water tower to enable vehicles to pull in, unload their conveyance and hop right on the trail which connects them to miles of additional recreational trails.
"We are proud to say," quoted Kenny, "that this is one more step that this community is taking for its future."
About the Author: Diane Dryden is a features writer for DrydenWire.com. She started her fifteen-year career as a features writer for the Washburn County Register and has written for assorted newspapers and national magazines. She has also just released the third novel in her Chicago series of books – Scott Free in Chinatown. You can visit Diane's website at www.dianedryden.com or her facebook page at facebook.com/authordianedryden.
Last Update: Aug 04, 2018 5:45 pm CDT
