April 11, 2022 - Installation of Rey's Place
The volunteers will be doing a bit more cleanup on Tuesday, April 19th, but it's looking great!
Rey's Place - Landscape Architect's concept drawing
March 2022 Update on the Karcher-Pohl Unique Memorial Gift
After more than a year of planning, the pace of this project has picked up considerably. The stones will be delivered in March, and if all goes well, the seating stones, stage, and new trail head will be installed on April 11, 2022. The park will be closed that day and we will need volunteers to help with hand work associated with the project. In order to accomplish all of this, Dane County Parks plans to stake out the locations of the features of this project on April 1.
Original Announcement - October 21st on Facebook
On behalf of all park users, the Prairie Moraine Friends group would like to thank the Karcher-Pohl family, Matthew Karcher and Megan Pohl, for their unique gift to Prairie Moraine County Park that memorializes Matthew's dog, Rey and one of his favorite places, beneath this tree.
The open-grown oak, estimated to be more than 200 years old, sits at the top of a natural amphitheater immediately to the southeast of the tree. The donation includes installing a dolomite limestone block seating area on the east side of the tree which would serve as a place for park users to sit and enjoy the tree’s view shed. The view includes the Johnstown Moraine, a glacial melt water outwash ravine, a significant prairie, and two leper colony foundations. One of the boulders will have a memorial description: “For Rey… and all of us”
Site preparation work was done on Wednesday, October 20th, by Dane County Parks with the assistance of park volunteers. Because of the lateness of the season, actual placement of the stones will not occur until spring.