PRESCOTT – At the July 24 meeting, the Prescott City Council (except for Alderperson Bailey Ruona who was absent) voted unanimously to install a fence at Public Square Park as fourth- and fifth-grade students will now be attending the school at 125 N. Elm St.

The school is planning to use the park for recess and physical education for the students. The Prescott School District agreed to pay half the cost of $6,187 for the 5-foot high, black vinyl chain link fence with the City of Prescott covering the other half and agreeing to paint the crosswalks and add safety signage.

Making it clear that the safety of children is the foremost priority, Alderperson Pat Knox shared comments he received from residents concerning the fence installation. He said they are “a little annoyed” that the price for the fence wasn’t included into the school district’s original plan when the school board decided to relocate the students.

“The way this was kind of sold was that ‘well, we’re going to have kids there and you have a city park there that we’re going to be using and so we’d like you to pay for half of that.’ That part was brought to me,” he said.

‘Eyesore Park’

Prescott resident Dallas Eggers gave the history of the Steamboat Inn lot during public comment. He said the first mention of it came from the Native Americans and in 1680, the first Europeans came to the Rock Ledge.

He posed the question, “What is the value of that location as a business?” adding that it can be determined in property taxes. But then he continued to probe asking, “What is it in value to our citizens, our guests, and our tourists?” He further explained that to cut off the view of the St. Croix River at the end of downtown is “not doing us justice.”

“Maybe it’s time for us to think a little differently,” he said, adding that the vacant lot is nicknamed “Eyesore Park” by town residents.

After, he named some possible ideas for the lot including picnic tables, toilets, or boat docks that resemble the steamboat dock. He recommended the city install a “card swipe” down there to cover payment like in Stillwater and Hudson and added that they don’t need to hire someone to check that people are paying because “the people who don’t pay are a small portion of us and we’ll know who they are, and we’ll talk to them.”

He mentioned the need for a bicycle loop under the bridge, adding that it would help with bicycle congestion and safety. He also described the possibility of constructing a band shell there but mentioned needing a 10-to-12-foot plant hedge to block the loud traffic noise.

“Prescott is a gateway to the Great River Road, voted the most beautiful drive in America. They enter in Prescott, it’s not very pretty, it’s not very memorable. It needs to be. We are an American byway. Another feather in our hat that starts right here that we are not taking advantage of enough. We’re trying and I have to compliment you people. Most of your stuff on the river I like it. Keep working at it,” Eggers encouraged.

Eggers also said he is part of an organization called North Woods and Waters of Saint Croix that works with the preservation of the water. Currently they are working to get the federal designation as a Heritage Zone, and as they are almost finished, he mentioned that Prescott would sit in the Heritage Zone and could apply for Heritage funds from the federal government.

Upcoming events

The Fire Association Intergovernmental meeting is set for 7 p.m. Aug. 16.