City might hire out for help with new outdoor rec plan
Lake Geneva officials are proposing to hire planning firm Vandewalle & Associates of Madison to help the city develop a comprehensive outdoor recreation plan which will propose amenities for the parks and lakefront area.
Lake Geneva officials are considering working with city planning firm Vandewalle & Associates to develop a comprehensive outdoor recreation plan, which will propose amenities to integrate the city's park system with the lakefront area.
It will be up to the Lake Geneva City Council whether a Madison firm is hired to help create a new outdoor recreation plan.
The idea received support March 17 from both the Piers, Harbors and Lakefront Committee and Board of Park Commissioners.
At a special joint meeting, the two groups of officials voted 7-1 to recommend that the council hire Vandewalle & Associates, Inc., of Madison. Alderwoman Sherri Ames voted "no."
On Jan. 26, the council decided to request proposals to hire help on a new plan, which is expected to take about a year to complete.
Going to the full City Council for approval will be a contract to hire Vandewalle for no more than $115,000.
Vandewalle submitted a base bid of about $73,148 to work on the plan. The firm then off ered optional services, such as Riviera Plaza and vendor zone commercial partnership services; local/regional marina survey and site master plan; and financial feasibility analysis, for an additional $42,500.
Parks Director David Winger recommended that city officials accept the optional services, which include a financial feasibility study; an area marina survey and site master plan; and work involving Riviera Plaza and vendor zone commercial partnership services.
"I think those are very important things that we cannot leave out of this discussion," Winger said.
Vandewalle has worked with Lake Geneva since 1986.
The firm helped city officials develop a bicycle and pedestrian plan in 2018; update Lake Geneva's comprehensive plan in 2020; and conduct an analysis of the Hillmoor property in 2020.
Company representatives have developed comprehensive outdoor recreation plans for about 40 communities during the past 20 years.
"So, we're well situated to deliver a (plan) that meets DNR standards and anything else that this project demands," said Jackie Mich, principal planner for Vandewalle.
Representatives from Edgewater Resources, LLC in Madison are set to assist Vandewalle & Associates with the lakefront portion of the plan.
"We've done hundreds of marinas, and we're all about integrating the waterfront and public access and basically leveraging marinas to improve public park spaces," Gregory Weykamp, president of Edgewater Resources, said.
Other companies that presented a proposal to assist with the plan include Upland Design Ltd. of Plainfield, Illinois with a bid of about $88,097 and Snyder & Associates of Madison with a bid of about $85,000.
City aldermen approved in November 2025 to hire Upland Design representatives to help develop a concept plan for Zone 1 of the Hillmoor property.
Representatives from all three companies presented their proposals to the Piers, Harbors and Lakefront Committee and Board of Park Commissioner members during the joint meeting.
Alderwoman Linda Frame said she is in favor of hiring Vandewalle & Associates because of the work they have done with Lake Geneva in he past.
"They've been a proven company with the city for decades," Frame said.
Alderwoman Catherine Stoodley said she is impressed that Vandewalle & Associates will be working with Edgewater Resources officials to help develop the lakefront portion of the plan.
"I do believe the single biggest challenge we have in the downtown is that lakefront, it's the Riviera, it's the boat launch," Stoodley said. "It is something that, as hard as we've tried to come up with ideas, it's just not in our wheelhouse."
Ames said she was not impressed with one of Vandewalle's references, who is a former city employee.
"I kind of look at the references," Ames said. "Like when we voted on the bid for the strategic plan, I looked at who their references were and some of them really turned me off . I've been here quite a while and sort of remember those people."
Even though she voted in favor of Vandewalle's bid, Board of Park Commissioner member Betty Volquardsen said she would have liked to consider Snyder & Associates.
"I was thinking because Snyder is one we haven't had experience with, that fresh set of eyes, perhaps, are a good idea," Volquardsen said. "That was my thought."
