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Creating the Necklace that
Holds the Jewels
The Fox State River Heritage
Parkway will make the river’s entire 140-mile
journey between Portage and Green Bay a showcase for
some 20 communities along the river. The Heritage
Parkway will attract residents and visitors alike
to cultural and historical features, parks, and other
important open spaces along the riverfront. The genesis
for this project dates back nearly 20 years when the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced its intention
to abandon operational and maintenance responsibilities
for the remaining 17 locks on the Fox River, and to
sell off holdings adjacent to the locks and along
navigational canals. With several locks in need of
major rehabilitation, and a system no longer used
for commercial navigation, permanent closure seemed
imminent.
Recognizing the locks as an
important part of the area’s heritage, a Friends
group formed to save the system. Working tirelessly
to build a partnership that included counties, local
communities, community foundations, Governor’s
Office, and other state agencies, the Friends
spearheaded the effort to transfer ownership to a
state entity and provide seed money to upgrade and
maintain the system.
The Fox River State Heritage
Parkway revolves around development of the abandoned
lock sites. Located in rural areas as well as in the
heart of urban centers, they can offer potential recreational
opportunities ranging from primitive camping to urban
bicycling, interpretive centers and museums. Within
this framework, individual communities are looking
at complementary ways to better utilize their riverfronts,
making them more accessible to pedestrians and bicyclists,
consistent with new urbanism and smart growth principles.
The Fox State River Heritage
Parkway will be a unique and unprecedented addition
to the Wisconsin State Park system. When the open
space sites, linked by the flowing waters of the Fox,
are developed with recreational amenities, the Parkway
will be the jewel of the Fox River Valley, providing
unrivaled access to the region’s cultural, historical,
recreational, and natural resources.
Contact: Fred Scharnke: (920)
751- 4770 e-mail:
fscharnke@eastcentralrpc.org
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