KAUKAUNA — More spaces for dogs, additional trails and bike lanes and a permanent music stage are among the recommendations in the Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan released last month by the city of Kaukauna.
The report comes about after the city launched a survey in 2025 and hosted several public information meetings to hear community members’ thoughts and feedback on Kaukauna parks and outdoor spaces.
You can find information on past outdoor recreation plans, survey feedback, recommended areas of focus and more by clicking the cover image located on the Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan page of the city’s website: https://bit.ly/4p6qLBm
Among the recommendations in the 74-page report:
Investigate small dog spaces at parks: many residents are interested in allowing
dogs at more parks, but many still like having areas where no pets are allowed.
Having smaller dog parks inside existing parks may provide the answer that hits
on the concerns heard from our residents and other park users.
Create a permanent stage area: with more musical events occurring in the city, a
permanent stage would be a cost savings and provide an area for additional
programing/events.
Create a plan for the redevelopment of Central Park: Central Park has been
underdeveloped for a number of years and a plan to delineate opportunities for
this space should be created.
Improve and add on-street bike lanes: provides clarity and safety to those biking
in the community.
Continue to investigate additional trails: New trails should be investigated when
and where a need is observed and when new growth from subdivisions or
development creates a need or an opportunity.
Determine feasibility of community gardens: this has been asked for in the survey
as well as from residents calling in and can help foster a better community
environment inside of our parks. It should be investigated to see where and if a community garden is feasible inside of the City of Kaukauna’s Park system.
Investigate feasibility of beer garden type events in the parks: having beer gardens featured in neighborhood parks would be a beneficial way to have more community involvement inside of the park system. This should be investigated to see if or how it could be implemented based on staffing and any potential ordinance or legal concerns.
The full list of recommendations is on city’s website HERE (Scroll to the end of the report)
