La Crosse County Board to vote on $150,000 in funding for ORA 277-acre bluffland purchase

Not a lot in terms of agenda items for the La Crosse County Board at Thursday night’s meeting, but if you account for land mass, the meeting is huge.

The board will vote on $150,000 in funding to the Outdoor Recreation Alliance for the purchase of 277 acres of land on La Crosse’s south side, off Highway 33.

“It’s kind of one of the last, untouched parts of land in La Crosse of this size,” ORA operations director Jillian Olson told La Crosse Talk PM.

Olson said they have a lot of ideas for the land.

“We’re using the word trailfarm,” Olson said. “We kind of made it up, we kind of pulled it from other areas. Historically, in the past, it’s been a farm. We also see this as keeping a lot of that feeling, of almost like a farm in the fact that you’re going to be surrounded by a lot of nature.

“But, we’re hoping to add the right amount of elements to it, that makes it just a really well rounded area for people to recreate in so many ways.”

Olson noted there will, of course, be trails of all types, including paved. There could also be other recreation areas and possibly an amphitheater.

“We’re really excited to see this blank canvas and picture all the really neat things that we can do for the La Crosse community on this parcel,” Olson said.

If the board approves (full agenda here), the money will come from the county’s Bluffland Protection fund. Since 2017, around $87,000 has been spent from that pot.

This isn’t the only project Outdoor Recreation Alliance is working on in the Coulee Region, including a bike park or “pump track” in West Salem.

“We’re shooting for a paved version of a pump track that has some other features that allow, pretty much anyone from a toddler — there will be specific areas for them — up to a really skilled rider,” she said.

Olson also said they’re closing in on breaking ground when it thaws for a universal or all-abilities tree house at Chad Erickson Park.