About

Our History

More than ten years ago, a group of Town of Dayton citizens were concerned about the eventual improvement on the safety of County K to include an off-road bike trail.  This group held together to become the Town of Dayton Trails Committee in 2015. 

Greater Waupaca Area Parks & Trails was established in May of 2018 with the non-profit, Waupaca County Natural Resources Foundation, as our fiscal sponsor to replace the Dayton Trails Committee.  We wanted to expand to include the four townships around the City of Waupaca and the City itself because many of the initial biking/hiking trails we were looking at crossed over townships borders.  Thus, our small logo symbolizing the four townships surrounding the City of Waupaca.

Greater Waupaca Area Parks & Trails led an effort a few years ago to create a new County Park to be called Golding Park after the Goldings who took care of the dam in the Red Mill area for 70 years. A good many people helped with this effort.   In the end we were unsuccessful with the park, but we are still working on improvements for that area when County K is redone which is now scheduled for 2023.  We hold some seed money for that project from donors who chose to allow that. 

We have discussed a design for a new bridge with on foot and by bike access to Nelson County Park and safer travel along County K with the Waupaca County Highway Commissioner, repeatedly. We have been assured that we will be kept in the loop going forward.  Our plan includes an off road trail all the way to the high school. This plan is very important in that if the public’s input is not kept in the forefront on projects, often the engineering is done before the people who will actually use the route hear about the actual engineering.  It is too late at that point to have public input.  We would gladly share our plans about this area with anyone interested in getting involved.    

Mission

GWAPT exists to identify on and off-road biking and walking routes, river routes, and parks both linear and neighborhood throughout the Townships of Dayton, Farmington, Lind, Waupaca, and the City of Waupaca. GWAPT is applying for private funding and will solicit matching funds. GWAPT will work with citizens, and government bodies to bring these goals to fruition.

Vision Statement:

Since there is great overlap of desired recreational routes and parks in the Greater Waupaca Area, GWAPT wants to be seen as a coordinating group between towns surrounding Waupaca and the City to encourage cooperation and enhance recreational enjoyment and the economy of the Greater Waupaca Area.

Regular Meetings

GWAPT holds monthly meetings on 2nd Wednesday of each month at 6:30pm at the Waupaca Library. Please join us!