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Community Corner

Abendschein Park Improvements Near Completion

New building, bridges and paths to enhance park.

Recent construction at Abendschein Park, including a new building, bridges and paths, is nearly complete and expected to be finished by Thanksgiving.

The park is popular for baseball, soccer, disc golf and other sports. The upgrades, second part of a long-term master plan for the 64-acre park, began in July after baseball season.

One group of people who will be happy with the park reopening is disc golfers like Javier Matus, Oak Creek resident and manager at Jimmy John's. He and members of his crew enjoy playing disc golf at the park.

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While the golfers' season ended early for play at Abendschein, they're looking forward to the improvements and possibily playing before winter.

"I'm disappointed but also excited. If it doesn't snow, I'll probably be out there as soon as it opens," Matus said.

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After the winter: "I'll be out as soon as the snow melts."

The upgrades ncludes a building for a concession stand, bathrooms and storage space. Other improvements include two new pedestrian bridges and work on pedestrian trails, a detention pond, storm sewer, street lighting and an expanded parking lot.

The site work for the project is almost complete, with the exception of paving the parking lot and paths, said Brian Johnston, Oak Creek development engineer. The footings for the building and the abutments for the bridges are installed. Still to be completed is installation of the bridges and the building, which are prefabricated and quickly installed once on-site.

Until the work is complete, the west side of the park will remain closed.

The Oak Creek Common Council approved the project earlier this year and approved a $1 million contract with Willkomm Excavating & Grading for the work.

The bulk of the work will be paid for through park fees. The city also received about $250,000 in grant money for the project, Johnston said.

The skate park and two open field areas were added in 2007 as the first phase of the master plan. More trails and another parking lot are planned with subsequent construction.

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