Kohler, R. (15 August 2007). Butterfly garden location is safe. Washburn County Register, p. 3-4.

Butterfly garden location is safe

By Regan Kohler

SHELL LAKE - The butterfly garden will remain in the same planned location, after the Shell Lake City Council made a motion Monday, Aug. 13, in city hall.

Months back, members of the Shell Lake Chamber of Commerce and Mary Ellen Ryall of Happy Tonics approached the council about putting a butterfly garden at the top of the hill next to Memorial Park, on the north end of town. However, questions later arose regarding the location. People were concerned about the location, which would be near the ATV trail and north parking lot. The idea came to possibly move the proposed garden to the south end of town, near the Tiptown recreation area. The issue was placed under unfinished business on Monday night's agenda.

Some citizens spoke about both proposed locations that night. Mark Bruce said he thought the butterfly garden was a good idea, but with a bad location due to the ATV trail and parking lot. Bruce said the garden could attract even more traffic at that location, which is near his residence, and suggested moving it near the pump house. He also said the proposed location was "prime highway frontage," as it is right off Hwy. 63. However, Bruce said, it was a "win-win situation" for him: the council could either move it, or he'd be living next to a garden.

Dennis Schraufnagel spoke for the chamber, saying the members are in favor of the garden. He said he was surprised to see it back on the agenda after it was already approved.

"The chamber really supports what [Ryall]'s doing," he said, adding that it can bring more tourism.

Schraufnagel said that it seemed to him anytime a new idea comes before the council, "parking rears its ugly head." He suggested redirecting traffic to the south end parking lot by the community center, since it seemed to be empty often and people may not realize it's there since it is down the hill.

"We don't see parking as a real serious problem as long as it's reallocated," Schraufnagel said.

Mayor Dave Zeug told them he'd gotten phone calls from people concerned over the location of the garden. He said the city is committed to the garden.

Ryall, with backup from Happy Tonics member Sandy Stein, then spoke passionately about the garden. She told Bruce that the area where he lives is surrounded by invasive species, and with a garden there, these species could be kept at bay since they haven't completely taken over.

Ryall said she wasn't happy with the fact that she had been working on this for five and a half months at that site, and that it may be moved.

"I gave it to the city as a gift," she said.

Ryall talked about global warming, saying it will cause only deep-rooted plants to grow and that the garden will be full of these kinds of plants. She said there may be weeds in that location now, but that would be rectified.

Ryall said the proposed butterfly garden is being talked about at an international level. She gave examples of Web sites and publications that are writing it up and planning to do interviews with her, and that every one has mentioned the proposed site. She said she is getting questions from people in New York and Washington, D.C., about it, and changing the location would mean mass confusion.

"Shell Lake is the key component," Ryall said. "You're being recognized all over the country and abroad. I'm not about to back down. The world is looking at that site, not something that's up in the back 40."

Ryall reminded the council that they had already approved the garden at that site, and said that if they go forward with it there, she wanted a contract signed so she wouldn't have to worry this situation would crop up again. If the council changed the location, Ryall said, Happy Tonics wouldn't be onboard.

Vern Redlich said that there are no set facts about the global warming phenomena Ryall mentioned. He also asked why, if the city wasn't putting any of its money into the garden, he'd seen city crew at that site. Ryall said that they were doing it on their work time.

"We're going after grants," she said. "We are not expecting the city to pay for this."

Alderman Terry Leckel said he supported the garden at the original location.

"You're never going to make everybody happy," he said, adding that the lake access point issue had started similarly and ended up going on for over a year.

Zeug told Ryall that he saw a butterfly garden as a recreational area, and said most people coming in on the south end of town see the Tiptown one.

Alderperson Sally Peterson said that the council shouldn't be discussing their own feelings on the garden, but listening to the citizens. She said the council should be grateful the garden is being donated to Shell Lake.

Alderman Dan Hubin said that in the north lot, parking is undefined. If the garden is put there, he said, it could make the spaces less confusing.

Kyle Schaffer said that, were the garden to be moved to the different location, he was planning on eventually building a café there and thought this would enhance the aesthetics for patrons.

Council president Mike Pesko said he didn't want to renege on the council's approval, but he had toured the location and found an old foundation there. He said he was curious as to how the garden would work around it, and he didn't understand why Ryall was set on this site if there may be a better one.

Ryall said she had been working with different departments on how to go about creating the garden and had many ideas.

Hubin said that the current proposed location has lots of foliage from the trees surrounding the park, which would be good for the butterflies.

"It's going to enhance coming from the north side of town," he added about drivers along the highway.

Hubin also said the garden could generate more activity downtown at this location.

Zeug said that the amount of vehicles in the parking lot on weekends when there aren't any local events going on is high and that concerned him.

"I want to make sure we're doing the right thing," he said.

Police Chief Clint Stariha said that for this year's Town and Country Days events, the downtown/lakefront events committee was planning on having a carnival in that lot. He suggested that Ryall start constructing the garden at a different end of the lot.

"I'd like to see that parking stay there," he said.

Bruce then spoke again, saying he had been misinformed and didn't know before that the city had already committed to the current proposed location. He also said that he had thought it was for the butterflies, but realized it was for the people, and said it would end up being good no matter what.

Leckel moved to allow the chamber and Happy Tonics to go forward with the already-approved plans, with a second from Hubin. The motion passed unanimously.

"We do appreciate your efforts, Mary," said Zeug.

Ryall said she would like to see something in writing in case the issue did come up again, to which the council said this most likely would not happen.