THE CITY REBORN FROM THE ASHES OF AMERICA'S MOST DISASTROUS FOREST FIRE
BUILD HANDICAPPED PIER"The Peshtigo Lions Club built this handicapped fishing pier last summer and fall. Pictured from left are:Lions Dan Peterson, Terry Gardon and Paul McClain. Other workers but not pictured are Dale Lange, Dale Edelbeck, Carl Gullickson and Larry Van Hoff.
Peshtigo Lions Club Build Handicapped Fishing Pier
Issue Date: December 2, 2020
Peshtigo area got a new handicapped fishing pier provided by several Peshtigo Lions Club members and sponsors who made it possible.
This is the first of many stages to help better utilize the area of the City of Peshtigo. The entire project will take several years to complete. It began last summer with the high-water levels and high currents along the rivers there were some concerns about the safety of the youngsters during some of the Kids fishing days. Looking for another area to hold the events and to open up more opportunities for fishing for everyone, the wheels started to turn.
In October and until the end of the year, Dale Lange Lions President at the time, and Shawn Northrup, City of Peshtigo Parks and Rec. Director started to put a plan together. Northrup thought about how this area could be better utilized and what could be done with it. The plan was put together to make this area into a recreational area, an area for First Responders and Military past and present to come and reflect upon their past and future activities.
Northrup and Lange checked into things and found out that the area was actually the City of Peshtigo's property but it was located in the Town of Peshtigo and needed to be rezoned from Agricultural to Recreational. Then the Covid-19 hit and things were put in slow motion for awhile.
A grant was applied for, and the M & M Area Community Foundation awarded The Peshtigo Area Community Foundation Grant to the Peshtigo Lions to fund the building of the handicapped fishing pier, which is the first phase of the area.
The pier design and construction meets ADA codes and was constructed by members of the Peshtigo Lions Community Embitterment Committee. During the construction phase of the pier several people stopped by and commented on how nice it was and several handicap people and others started using it immediately.
Wisconsin Building Supplies helped in furnishing the building materials, the fishing rod holders were made and donated by the Northeast Wisconsin Technical College Marinette Welding class. Franks Logging and Excavating provide the equipment and labor for doing the gravel on site by the fishing ramp to make it accessible for the handicapped. When finished the Lions hope to have some hiking or walking paths in the summer and possible cross country skiing paths in the winter.