La Crosse Council favors bluffland park

The La Crosse City Council looks likely to designate as a public park 160 acres of bluffland after lobbying by thousands of hiking and biking enthusiasts.

More than 100 mostly silent sports proponents attended a committee meeting on January 10. And the organizers presented the aldermen with petitions signed by some 4,100 people, according to the La Crosse Tribune.

In 1963, the city bought the Experimental Farm on Highway FA from the University of Wisconsin System with the understanding it would be a park. The land was never formally designated as such, however.

Since 2001, Human Powered Trails has built and maintained about 12 miles of public trails there. Those trails were deemed in jeopardy when city council members, back in December, suggested the land would be better used for residential development and generating tax revenue.

Several people said the area is more economically beneficial as is because the trails draw tourists and lure new residents.

Council member Andrea Richmond said she was persuaded during a tour of the area with an HPT representative, the newspaper reported. As a park, she said, "it is a true gem to the community."