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Plexus Rocket Playground at Riverside Park
TIMELINE
July 4, 2007: The Playground dedication during Communityfest
April 20/21/22, 2007: The Playground Build Was Completed in ONE Weekend! This was a community build.
December 14, 2006: We’ve reached our goal! Neenah Rotary announced a $20,000 pledge that took the donation total over the needed $160,000. Thank you to the community for your tremendous support.
November 30, 2006: The Plexus Corp. Charitable Foundation announced a $100,000 contribution towards the Re-Launch the Rocket project. With this generous support we were within $20,000 of the $160,000 goal!
The City of Neenah’s Parks and Recreation Department presented Future Neenah with an opportunity to partner and fundraise for replacement of the rocket in Riverside Park. Our board of directors enthusiastically approved FNI’s involvement in this wonderful community project!
The original rocket was placed in the park in 1966 and no longer met the current safety standards and thus was not insurable as it stood. FNI assisted in raising the necessary funds to replace the old rocket with a modern and handicapped accessible rocket playground. FNI Board member Jeff Holecko co-chaired this initiative with Dawn Christensen, co-owner of Century 21. The campaign kicked off July 4, 2006 during Communityfest with plans to launch (build) the rocket in spring of 2007. This was a community build. Lift off was July 4, 2007. The project goal was $160,000.
We went “Back to the Future” – the Riverside Park is being updated for a new generation of Neenah’s children.
The rendering above depict the entire rocket play system which will also include a space shuttle, moon buggy and astronaut/alien pretend panels. (Items/Rendering subject to change.)
Rocket Playground Features, The countdown –
10 Pentagon Deck
9 Interior Hub Ladder
8 Decagon Roofs
7 Spacecraft Command Modules
6 Spacecraft View Extensions
5 Full Spacecraft Panels and Launch Pad sign
4 Moon rock climber
3 Moon crater climber
2 Space kid climber
1 Rocket roof
Blast off!
This is the rocket as it stood in the park.
Riverwalk
Immediately on the heels of Shattuck Park’s success, an opportunity became available to add a new and very unique enhancement to the entire Riverwalk package, lighting of the Oak Street Bridge.
This lighting element is truly distinctive. It’s not simple lampposts, this is decorative, architectural lighting designed to incorporate color and character while outlining and accenting the bridge.
The Wayne Bryan (Oak Street) Bridge reconstruction which began in the fall of 2005 was completed October 6, 2006 when the bridge re-opened to the public. The new bridge project provided an opportunity to incorporate a unique look and exciting new feel to the bridge structure with the lighting.
Neenah was only the third city in the United States to incorporate such a lighting feature into our bridge architecture. With the lighting process LEDs are used to add fascination to a structure, in Neenah’s case to the bridge.
This bridge lighting element enhances the beauty of Shattuck Park and success of the entire project.
The Neenah Riverwalk in Downtown Neenah is nearly complete. With the major portion of the North Riverwalk, from the Commercial Street overlook east along the Fox River now open for use, only a final link through Island Park to the Oak Street Bridge remain to be built. Once fully completed, the Neenah Riverwalk will provide a 1.5-mile barrier-free path along the Fox River in Downtown Neenah.
For more information about the Neenah Riverwalk ~ Shattuck Park project please contact City of Neenah Director of Community Development Chris Haese at 920.886.6125.
Friends of the Neenah Riverwalk
Friends of Neenah Riverwalk was the grassroots citizen panel charged with raising the private funds that were budgeted toward the Neenah Riverwalk ~ Shattuck Park project. Shattuck Park was dedicated on 7/30/05. Friends of the Neenah Riverwalk exceeded their fundraising goal of $950,000. Additional funds were used for decorative, architectural lighting on the Oak Street Bridge.
