The Parks and Recreation Committee met 05/12/2025. Outside of electing a vice-chair, setting the date and time of the committee meetings, and setting a designated contact person, they took up two action items. The first was a request to approve Irish Fest’s request to hold a ticketed, private special event in Jones Park on 09/19/2025-09/20/2025. The second was a request to update the city’s rules around consumption of alcohol in parks to prohibit alcohol beverages within 20 feet of any pavilion or playground.
Each of these items were recommended unanimously for approval by the committee.
I’ve prepared a transcript of the discussion for download:
APPROVE IRISH FEST OF THE FOX CITIES TO HOLD A TICKETED PRIVATE SPECIAL EVENT – Irish Fest is scheduled to be held in Jones Park on September 19 and 20 of this year. They expect 3,000 people to attend, and because they are charging a fee to attend the event, the Parks and Recreation Committee needs to approve.
This item was discussed only briefly during which it was confirmed that any change to alcohol rules banning alcoholic beverages from within 20 feet of the pavilion would not apply to this event. It was confirmed that the ban on alcohol beverages did not apply when people or organizations rented a pavilion or held a special event.
APPROVE CHANGE TO PARK RULES TO PROHIBIT ALCOHOL BEVERAGES WITHIN 20’ OF ANY PAVILION OR PLAYGROUND – Director of Parks and Recreation Dean Gazza told the committee that this change was initiated by Police Chief Polly Olson in response to some of the challenges the Police Department had experienced policing behavior around park pavilions. There can be a significant number of people who gather in a pavilion which causes issues when other park patrons want to utilize the pavilion or access the restrooms. Additionally, staff recommended banning alcohol within 20 feet of a play ground similarly to how smoking is banned near playgrounds as a way of trying to keep negative behaviors away from that area.
The committee ended up amending the request to clarify that the prohibition on alcohol within 20’ of pavilions did not apply when a pavilion was rented or when a special event was being held within the park.
Alderperson Alex Schultz (District 9) asked how city staff intended to communicate this change to the public. Director Gazza indicated that park rules are listed on posters in parks. Additionally, he expected the Police Department would make sure that there was a transition or grace period as they enforced the new rules.
View full meeting details and video here: https://cityofappleton.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=1305796&GUID=6EEAE5D7-D810-4D48-9873-1722C39A4A0C
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