LAKE GENEVA, Wis. — Lake Geneva hopes to turn the former Hillmoor Golf Course into the city's backyard with modern amenities. The city has a plan to pay for the items on their wishlist without affecting taxpayers.
"I'm so optimistic because everyone wants to see this thing succeed," said Lake Geneva Parks Director David Winger, who started as the city's first ever parks director last August.
The city is planning to launch the Lake Geneva Parks Foundation, in which interested donors can raise money for Hillmoor and other park projects across Lake Geneva.
"It's getting the voice of the donors out there to say, 'Yeah, we want this project,' while also mitigating the impact on taxpayers," Winger said.
The city has spent years shaping the vision for Hillmoor, including hosting several meetings for residents to give their opinions earlier this year.
"Sometimes you go into some of these projects, and it's crickets," Winger said. "This has not been the case for this project."
The amenities planned for the future include a splash pad, an amphitheater, a playground, a trail by the White River, and a brand new dog park.
Winger said the initial construction will focus on projects funded by a Knowles-Nelson grant, as well as maintaining the park's popular disc golf course.
"We'll be moving the dog park, building a new dog park, and putting in new trails," Winger said. "We're hoping that 2027 is a big year for us."
Bart Surroz of Pell Lake frequently takes his dogs to the Hillmoor dog park. He said he's pleased Lake Geneva has chosen to invest into it.
"Without this, the dogs are just walking around town and unfortunately using edges of grass, it's nice to have them feel comfortable unleashed," Surroz said. "To have this as a nice park for them to go somewhere, it's more of a community than just a yard with a fence."
The master plan for Hillmoor also includes a plaza with a fountain, picnic shelters, and native plants.
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