It's official--Carlson Park is now "Carlson Park"

Members of the Decorah Parks & Recreation Board have made it official--the 110-acre property donated to the city from the Carlson family will now be known as "Carlson Park."

The land is located just off Pleasant Avenue south of the Highway 9 overpass.  The Decorah Parks & Recreation Department is working on a plan for the property and may turn to professional help in creating a master management plan.

Initial work has begun on opening up a "core loop" trail that would provide access to the rest of the property.  Park-Rec Director Andy Nimrod says now that the Park Board has officially named the park, the next steps would be to install signage, including park information and park boundaries.

Nimrod says the Park Board also will be gathering some more public input about future uses of the park. 

As for the trail, Nimrod says the property is "gently sloping."  He says there are just a few desirable plants to worry about when creating the trail—and those areas will be worked around. He adds that some neighbors to the south of the parcel have agreed to pay for their own fencing at the edge of their property and the park property.

The Decorah Park-Rec Board has been taking public input about the Carlson property and discussing the layout of trails, recreational opportunities, land management planning and responsible property management/stewardship.