SJL Client Stoughton Trailers, Donates Park Land To Community

Park could attract employees, provide recreation

Stoughton Trailers held an open house Feb. 20 on plans

Scott De Laruelle Staff reporter

When Stoughton Trailers builds its new corporate headquarters on 182 acres at the corner of Hwy. 51 and County B, it’s intended to include a community park that could have quite a number of different amenities. Much of that will be up to the public-community groups and businesses that the company is trying to partner with, along with the city, which would likely need to provide tax incremental financing.

To help sort all that out, the city has paid for a feasibility study with the parks committee which started last month and is set to wrap up in March, examining what the needs are in terms of trails and other potential features. The company is hosting a “community conversation” at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 20 at Sandhill Elementary School to show the public the preliminary master plan and get public input before approaching the city with a concept.

“We have the land, we have ideas, and we're trying to make them a reality, but there’s still a lot to figure out, and a lot of gaps to fill,” said Stoughton Trailers president and CEO Bob Wahlin. “Were still figuring out details with the city and the needs analysis that's going on, but were hopeful that once we get to the point when we know what Stoughton needs, what is a benefit to the community, we’ll be able to draw in other business members and community members to participate and make it truly a community park.”

The general idea, Wahlin said, is to create a space with at least 40 percent green space and parkland, with a natural theme.

“There will be some stormwater management tied into that, but the vision is very nicely done nature areas, maybe some bike paths and walking paths kind of meandering through that area tied into the bigger system that's coming in through Stoughton,” he said. “That could really be something special.”

Seeking a Stoughton attraction

Wahlin said with company leaders deciding to build a new headquarters, they didn’t want “just another building in an industrial park,” but wanted to do something special, to help the company and the community. Attracting employees was a big factor.

“Sometimes we found it difficult to bring that top talent to Stoughton,” he said. “We love Stoughton, but some of the other communities around here have grown and have amenities that are far further than what we have. So this is a way to try to catch up a little bit and it’s the idea of a community park, especially at that location, where it can be an entry point to Stoughton.”

The area’s natural theme and walking trails are part of a focus on employees’ mental and physical health, Wahlin said, as well as providing more space for collaboration that was available previously.

“We want to do nice health facilities, activities rooms, areas where people can learn and get educated at things beyond just Stoughton Trailers, maybe have guests and really make it a place, especially in this era of work from home, where people want to come and work,” he said. “If we could accomplish that, it’s something great for our team members, it’s something good for the company to help us attract the best talent possible, and it’s good for the community.”

While the park won’t be a “silver bullet” to helping bring new families to the area, Wahlin said it can be a “significant piece of the foundation.”

“With that (park) and access to the lake and river, all the activity going on with the whitewater park and the other good things in Stoughton, this could really be a catalyst to get people more interested, especially those young professionals coming here and choosing Stoughton over Waunakee or Verona,” he said. “They want to go to a place that has that nice park features, nature, nice baseball fields, good football programs, things like that … but it can’t be something that’s Stoughton Trailers alone, it’s got to be a community project. We need to work with the city, and we’ve always had a good relationship. We will have a TIF request as part of this.

“All of that will be needed to make this a pretty special place.”