Equipment removed from Fort Fun, more changes expected
Some wooden beams, a tire swing and other pieces have been removed for safety reasons. Fort Fun has experienced damage and weathering from nearly 30 years of use by Prairie du Chien residents and visitors, including damaged slides, wooden posts. (Steve Van Kooten/Courier Press)
By Steve Van Kooten
Prairie du Chien’s Fort Fun playground is a venerable member of the community. For nearly 30 years the fort’s wooden walls, swings and slides have stood next to the Wacouta Aquatic Park, providing a popular place for children to play.
But as years passed, Fort Fun deteriorated from prolonged use and adverse weather. Wood has splintered, metal has bowed and rubber has torn — the park is in need of more than a spit shine.
This past November, City Administrator Chad Abram announced that the city had removed some play equipment from the playground due to deteriorating wood.
City of Prairie du Chien Director of Parks, Recreation and Forestry Mike Wallace told the Courier Press that a tire swing, wood balance beams and a slide were removed.
Along with Public Works Superintendent Nick Gilberts, Wallace inspected the playground and determined what structures needed to be removed for safety reasons.
In August, Wallace informed the common council that Marc Leather, president of Playgrounds by Leathers, submitted a 55-page report that assessed Fort Fun’s remodel and repair needs. The estimated cost is approximately $350,000.
The report says the park’s equipment has sustained damage from sun exposure, among other causes. Repairs are needed on the main support posts, handrails, framing and fencing. Several swings and tire tubes also need to be replaced.
Wallace said the city’s Fort Fun Committee has considered different options for the park, and their investigation is still in the early stages.
“We are wanting [sic] to put in an all-ability-inclusive playground,” Wallace wrote to the Courier Press. “We have investigated playgrounds like this in the area. La Crosse and Platteville have all-abilities [parks] that they just built in recent years.”
He added that nearby communities have said the inclusive parks are “a great addition to their communities.”
Wallace confirmed that the city has looked at wooden and steel equipment as well as rubber cushions for the park.
Wallace and the committee will also explore grant opportunities and are planning to conduct fundraising events in the next few years to help fund the park’s overhaul.
