Prairie Moraine Park - Master plan

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The concept for creating Prairie Moraine Park began when the Ice Age Trail Corridor was developed.  Prairie Moraine Park is now one of the County's most used park facilities.  The extreme amount of use as an off leash dog exercise area has resulted in the completion of this Master Plan.  The plan is an effort to address environmental and user group issues and concerns.

The concept of the design process has been to provide recreational opportunities for all park users without generating negative impacts to the site.  The program to complete this plan has entailed more than two years of meeting with the public, neighboring property owners, special interest groups, and park users.

Project objectives were formulated based on input provided and information gathered throughout the planning process.  They are in no particular order of importance.

Objective One

Create additional off leash areas in the park and within the local region to lessen negative impacts to the park.

Objective Two

Protect significant natural and geologic resources within the park, including protection of desirable open viewsheds.

Objective Three

Provide sufficient designated parking areas for park users that does not exceed capacity limits.

Objective Four

Continually monitor and maintain positive relationships with neighboring property owners.

Objective Five

Create a park environment that allows co-existence of off-leash pet exercise areas, Ice Age Trail corridor, and vegetative restoration efforts.

A comprehensive site inventory of the location, historic, natural, geologic, hydrologic, vegetative, and viewshed components of the site was completed.  Recommended park improvements based on public input, site inventory research, and park staff experience include parking lot, interior park fencing, trails, site amenities, and plans for the 911 tower site are discussed.  Following is a management plan that considers trails, vegetation, signage, the 911 tower, and volunteer group possibilities.

Acquisition projects are discussed that would expand dog exercise areas to the south of the existing park boundary; and facilitate future Ice Age Trail development north and east of the park.  The County only purchases land from willing sellers.

The overall conclusion of this report finds that the intense use of this site requires implementation of the plan as soon as possible to avoid negative environmental impacts to the park.

(This is page 4 of the Master Plan document.  

For the full document, see the download link below.)