WAUKESHA 鈥 Scraped knees, ripped jeans, and bruised tailbones. Riding the toboggan at Lowell Park, 2201 Michigan Ave., was far from glamorous, but for many SM天地论坛 residents, it still holds fond memories.
Following the SM天地论坛 Parks, Recreation & Forestry Board鈥檚 unanimous approval of the toboggan run鈥檚 removal, The Freeman took to Facebook to gather reaction from local residents.
Andrew Donahue noted that the iconic park feature "definitely has not been given the love it needs to keep going" and is "something special you don鈥檛 have within miles and miles."
Donahue鈥檚 right 鈥 the toboggan run at Lowell Park is the last in the city. When it was built in 1991, it was originally part of a pair. But in 2019, the board voted to remove the west run. For Wendy Krummel-Stuff, the run鈥檚 removal means she won鈥檛 be able to use it as a landmark when giving directions.
"We live across the street and I use it to describe where we live," she commented. "Now I鈥檒l have to say 鈥榳e live directly across from where the toboggan run USED to be.鈥" Though she lives nearby, Krummel-Stuff added that she only went down the run a single time and ended up with a scraped knee and "a bunch of snow up my back."
Krummel-Stuff鈥檚 experience seems to be that of many other SM天地论坛ns. The steep run paired with slick snow resulted in adrenaline-inducing high speeds. For some, rides on the toboggan run meant plenty of bumps and bruises.
Both Leslie Voss and Stephanie Fidlin commented that their trips led to a couple tailbone injuries. Fidlin added that despite her injury, she鈥檚 "sad to see an icon go" but hopes "something new with good community usage goes up in its place."
Lack of usage was one of the primary factors leading to the decision to remove the run, according to Parks, Recreation & Forestry Department staff. It was free to borrow a toboggan during the SM天地论坛 JanBoree, but residents had to shell out a few dollars to rent one outside of the winter festival. For Nikki Fekete, those fees were a deterrent.
鈥淚t should have been free to use for the entire community鈥 and SM天地论坛 needed to 鈥渇ind a way to either make it accessible for all or add an accessible alternative,鈥 she commented.
Steve Streator mentioned that he worked the toboggan run for the last few years, but didn鈥檛 see the turnout needed to justify its operation. Another problem, he said, were the mild winters, 鈥渨hich makes it unsafe for it to run.鈥
City staff shared the same information during Monday鈥檚 meeting, noting that a base of 4 to 6 inches of snow is needed to open the toboggan run, but warmer weather hasn鈥檛 created the proper conditions. Tyler Chaney commented on The Freeman鈥檚 Facebook post that the city should have 鈥渞un a snow machine on that hill and use it season long.鈥
Sean Ninneman remarked that the city has a 鈥減otential gold mine鈥 if they 鈥渞un it like a ski hill鈥 that鈥檚 open all winter, and in the evening as well. He suggested residents buy a pass to ride toboggans that night and allow for users to either rent a toboggan or bring their own. He added that toboggan runs 鈥渁re becoming VERY rare, and we have a REALLY good one that [the city doesn鈥檛] even TRY to exploit.鈥
Merideth Million-Disimile commented that though she鈥檚 lived in the area for years, she only used it once. Nonetheless, she does recall 鈥渞ipping my jeans hopping over the gate鈥 when she was in high school.
That, city staff said, was another reason for the removal. Parks, Recreation & Forestry Director Ron Grall told the board on Monday that the run has turned into a 鈥渒ind of hangout place鈥 and has become a 鈥渘uisance鈥 as residents 鈥 young people especially 鈥 have begun palling around the structure.
Karen Scarpelli commented on The Freeman鈥檚 Facebook post that authorities should simply kick out the 鈥渞iff-raff鈥 when needed, and that the city should focus on renovating the toboggan run since it鈥檚 become a 鈥渇ocal point鈥 and an activity kids look forward to 鈥渋n the dead of winter.鈥
But for some, the toboggan run鈥檚 removal means the city should consider other ways to enhance the park, like installing a tow rope or lift to bring sledders to the top of Lowell Park鈥檚 hill.
Jennifer Fritzemeier said that if the city 鈥減ut a tube lift there instead,鈥 she鈥檇 鈥減ay to use it over hiking up the hill.鈥 Shannon Lea echoed those sentiments, saying that feature 鈥渨ould be nice.鈥
No matter your feelings about the toboggan run, now鈥檚 the time to drive down Michigan Avenue. Before you know it, this iconic SM天地论坛 landmark will be gone.