Dane County Executive Parisi Announces Improvements Coming to Anderson Farm County Park
October 27, 2016
Stephanie Miller 608-267-8823
County Executive
Dane County Executive Parisi announced today improvements coming to the Anderson Farm County Park in his 2017 Budget. Parisi announced he proposed funds for the design and engineering of a dog park and $150,000 for demolition and initial site preparation at the farmstead that the county purchased in 2016. The County is also working to find partners for agricultural programing at the popular county park.
“A dog exercise area and agriculture programing will be a great addition to the Anderson Farm County Park,” said Dane County Executive Joe Parisi. “Dog parks are our most popular destination for our Dane County Parks. The addition of agriculture programing will be a great way to allow residents the opportunity to establish small scale farming operations. It will give more people an opportunity while increasing our local food options.”
The $150,000 will be used for demolition and initial site prep at the farmstead that the County purchased in 2016. The farmstead (805 Union Road) is an 8.5 acre former inholding (meaning that it was surrounded by existing parkland) that was identified for acquisition in the Anderson Farm County Park Master Plan. Dane County anticipates that the farmstead will be the starting point for the agricultural programming identified in the master plan. The farmstead includes several old agricultural accessory buildings that are past their useful life and cannot be saved. The farm house is in good condition and will remain in place. Over time, new buildings may be added to the site as dictated by the program needs.
“I am thrilled Dane County Executive Parisi is proposing to add another dog park and other improvements to Anderson Farm County Park,” said Dane County Supervisor Jerry Bollig. “It is a popular feature of our County Parks and this work will be a great addition to Anderson Farm County Park.”
Dane County is also is looking for partners to adopt the agricultural programming at the Park. Initial concepts for the agricultural programming include leased market plots for individuals or groups looking to establish small scale or start-up farming operations using shared equipment or services. Educational programming and demonstration would also occur. The specifics of the agricultural programs would be refined as partners are identified.
Anderson Farm County Park was established in 2014 and is the newest Recreation Park in the Dane County Parks system. The park is approximately 310 acres and is a mix of woodland, agricultural fields and a small prairie that was planned in 2016. It is located in the Town of Oregon at 914 Union Road, Oregon, Wisconsin just south of the Village of Oregon.
The park is named after the Lyman F. Anderson Family farmstead that was founded at the site in 1886. Lyman F. Anderson, who passed away in 2005, was a former County Board Supervisor and also served in the Wisconsin State Legislature. There is a modest network of woodland trails on the north end of the Park, including a 1-mile hiking trail through the Arthur Sholts Memorial Woods, which can be accessed from a parking area off of Union Road. Visitors can also walk along field roads that border the agricultural fields.
The Friends of Anderson Farm County Park host a variety of events and volunteer projects at the park. The size of the park and recreational amenities offered will expand over time -- future park development and designated uses are outlined in the Anderson Farm County Park Master Plan.