BY KONRAD STRZALKA konrad.strzalka@thmedia.com
 May 23, 2025 Updated May 23, 2025

DICKEYVILLE, Wis. — Dickeyville Park is much livelier than it once was.

The thwack of pickleballs hitting paddles, the thump of basketballs and the noise of running children permeate the public space at 450 N. Center St.

This is the result of an effort to bring more amenities to the park by a group of residents, including local mother Mary Kay McDermott, who moved to Dickeyville nine years ago.

“We used to bring our kids when we first moved here, thinking this would be the place to meet other families, and there was never anybody here,” McDermott said. “The renovation of (the pickleball and basketball courts) has brought so many people back to the park and just that one amenity has really added a spark to a park that had sort of just become less interesting, for whatever reason.”

These amenities were first completed in 2022, but this spring, new additions were completed at the park.

A new 5,000-square-foot playground replacing the former 30-year-old structure includes multiple slides, swings and monkey bars.

Of this, 1,800 square feet is on a rubber surface, rather than wood chips, providing additional accessibility.

There is also a splash pad with a 2,200-square-foot wet area and about a dozen pieces of equipment.

A $250,000 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources grant helped fund this latest phase of the park improvements, with the community fundraising a matching $250,000 and an additional, approximately, $300,000 coming mostly from the village, according to Dickeyville Park Foundation president Cheryl Kieler.

“The generosity of individuals and businesses has been phenomenal,” said Alice Kay, Park Foundation board member.

This is not the last of the work. More additions to the park will come, Kieler said, such as the addition of a walking trail. However, she said this next phase might take a few more years to come to fruition.

In the meantime, community members are eager to enjoy the new additions. While an official ribbon cutting and celebration is planned for July 26, the playground and splash pad could open as early as this weekend.

Dickeyville mom Allison Manning, who has cerebral palsy, said the previous aging playground was difficult to use both for her and for her 5-year-old son, Peter. She said she was looking forward to utilizing the new amenities.

“When I heard the park was getting a new play set and it was ADA accessible, I was so excited,” Manning said. “I know this summer we’re going to be there a lot.”

McDermott’s 9-year-old daughter, Clare Yoches, said she is most excited for the new playground equipment, like the merry-go-round.

McDermott said she hopes the new amenities help the park continue to grow in popularity, reflecting back on when she first moved to Dickeyville and found the park empty.

“Hopefully it brings more people to our town and brings the people of this town into greater community with one another,” McDermott said.

Recent upgrades bring ‘spark’ to Dickeyville Park | Tri-state News | telegraphherald.com