Colfax Red Cedar Preserve and Recreation Area receives $26,000 DNR grant for accessible fishing pier
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by LeAnn R. Ralph
Editor’s note: LeAnn R. Ralph serves on the Colfax Red Cedar Preserve and Recreation Area Management Committee
COLFAX — By this time next year, people with mobility challenges may be able to go fishing on Ferry Pond.
The Colfax Red Cedar Preserve and Recreation Area has been awarded a $25,900 grant from the state Department of Natural Resources under the Sport Fish Restoration Grant program to put toward a handicapped-accessible fishing pier.
The grant covers 50 percent of the cost of building the fishing pier for Ferry Pond.
The Colfax Red Cedar Preserve and Recreation Area is located along the Red Cedar River directly north of Colfax and east of County Highway M in the Town of Colfax across the road from Felland Park.
“We’re eager to make the Preserve open to all citizens. At this point it is difficult, if not impossible, for those with mobility challenges to access the pond for fishing, observing nature, or just sitting in an open quiet spot on the pond, said Katherine Stahl, chair of the CRCPRA management committee and a Town of Colfax resident.
“The fishing pier will offer access and accommodations to truly make the Preserve open to all citizens, particularly those individuals with mobility issues. We hope our community will embrace making this beautiful place open to everyone,” she said.
“Imagine you are someone who has enjoyed the outdoors your whole life but in your later years your desire is still there to do those activities but your mobility has become a barrier to those things. Or those who love to fish but wheelchair access is limited,” said Mark Mosey, also a member of the CRCPRA management committee and retired biology teacher from Colfax High School.
“The Colfax Red Cedar Preserve and Recreation Area will soon be offering access to an area of the Ferry Pond that was previously inaccessible to those with mobility challenges. Grant money was awarded to partially fund an ADA fishing pier which will offer a new access point to the Ferry Pond for all interested,” he said.
17 miles
According to the grant application, the Ferry Pond fishing pier is the first facility in more than 10 miles from the next facility on the river, and is actually 17 miles from the nearest existing public fishing pier.
The CRCPRA includes 145.7 acres and has a two-mile long hiking trail around Ferry Pond and around the perimeter of the property, which was purchased November 17, 2020, with Knowles Nelson Stewardship Funds, private donations and a donation from Dunn County and was then deeded over to the Town of Colfax.
The area where the fishing pier will be located, about half-way down the blacktop road into the property, will have 10 parking spaces that will be designated as disabled parking spaces.
“The path to the pier comes directly off an asphalt road within the Colfax Red Cedar Preserve and Recreation Area. Signage will be placed at the path limiting parallel parking to those who have mobility limitations. The asphalt road extends for a quarter-mile. A picnic area is being developed quite close to the proposed pier,” according to the grant application.
The picnic area already has some handicapped accessible picnic tables that were built this summer.
Recreation area
According to the grant application, the Town of Colfax opened the property “to the public for hiking, nature observations, fishing, hunting, snowshoeing, skiing, kayaking and canoeing. The property is mostly surrounded by the Red Cedar River, and within the property is a 12 acre pond now called Ferry Pond.
“Since being open to the public in 2021, the property and the pond have frequent daily use by the public. Historically, before being closed to the public by the prior owner, the Ferry Pond was known as a local favorite fishing hole.
“It currently draws users from the village of Colfax, which is immediately adjacent to the property, and from the Town of Colfax, which is a growing rural municipality. Users have come from Dunn, Chippewa, and Eau Claire Counties as well as users from Minnesota, and (other) Wisconsin municipalities.
“Unfortunately there is currently no safe access to the pond to fish or reasonable access for nature observations for the public who use mobility aids, such as wheelchairs, walkers, or crutches, or who have limited walking strength.
“Although the Ferry Pond is a popular local fishing site, it is surrounded by trees, uneven rough ground, and in some cases berms, and steep shoreline. Due to the nature of the pond shoreline, the pond is not reasonably accessible for a portion of the public who experience mobility challenges.”
The application goes on to say. “To provide an opportunity for fishing access for the public with such challenges, the town plans to build a pier onto the Ferry Pond with access from the asphalt road located within the property. The pier would project from the south shore bank 52 feet through aquatic vegetation onto the pond, where open water fishing would be available.
“The trail across to the pier will be paved and staged for safe access to the pier according to ADA guidelines. The trail will start at the asphalt road that affords ample parking for several vehicles immediately adjacent to the trail. The access to the pier from the parking area will be 120 feet. “Within Dunn County there are several boat docks to the Red Cedar River where the public can put in to fish or hunt. The closest public fishing pier, however, is over 10 miles away from the CRCPRA Ferry Pond, and the closest fishing pier with accommodations for mobility challenged individuals is 17 miles from CRCPRA.”
Cost
The total cost estimate for the fishing pier is $51,800.
The maximum grant award is 50 percent, or $25,900.
CRCPRA is short $17,400 in cash to build the fishing pier since the recreation area has received a $3,500 Dunn Energy Cooperative Operation Round Up grant and $5,000 in individual donations to the Town of Colfax.
Use of the Colfax Red Cedar Preserve and Recreation Area is free to the public, and the Town of Colfax will not be charging a user fee for the handicapped accessible fishing pier.
Before the handicapped fishing pier can be built, the CRCPRA management committee must raise the additional $17,400 in funds.
The CRCPRA Management Committee is working on some fundraisers and would appreciate the public’s support to help make the handicapped fishing pier a reality.
The CRCPRA Management Committee also is working on trying to find additional grant opportunities.
Perhaps you have a loved one who would benefit from the fishing pier or perhaps you had a loved one who enjoyed going to the place formerly known as “the Ferry pit” or the “gravel pit.”
Memorial donations and contributions for the handicapped fishing pier can be made to the Town of Colfax and mailed to N8409, County Road M, Colfax, WI 54730.
If you would like to volunteer an hour or two of your time to help with projects at the Colfax Red Cedar Preserve and Recreation Area, you can contact Kathy Stahl at stahland@gmail.com.
