Preserve is 'dream come true'

By Bill Novak
October 2, 2004

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When you first walk into the Jenni and Kyle Preserve on Post Road, you can't help but smile.

This 160-acre wetland in the Nine Springs E-Way on Madison's south side has been transformed into a one-of-a-kind county park specially designed for use by children and people with disabilities.

The park has been on the drawing board for close to two decades, and now "it's a dream come true," said Dane County Parks Planner Chris James and Madison Area Rehab Centers Executive Director Richard Berling.

James and Berling led a preview tour of the preserve, joined by County Executive Kathleen Falk and several staff members and clients of MARC, which built its new corporate office on Post Road specifically to take advantage of the Jenni and Kyle Preserve.

Official dedication ceremonies will take place later this fall.

The preserve is named after Jenni and Kyle Geurkink, daughter and son of Terry and Sally Geurkink of Belleville. The two children both died of degenerative neurological diseases at age 4, Jenni in 1984 and Kyle in 1986.

Their grandparents, Harvey and Patricia Wilmeth, gave $100,000 to the county in 1988 so 80 acres of wetlands could be purchased in memory of their grandchildren.

When the area started being developed into industrial and commercial use, the county Parks Department scrambled to acquire acreage on Post Road so there would be access to the site from the street.

Dane County committed $95,000 to buy the additional acreage for access. The state Department of Natural Resources contributed $140,000, and The Capital Times spearheaded a contribution drive that helped to raise another $66,000.

It took more than a year after the groundbreaking ceremonies in August 2003 to get all the ingredients together for the Jenni and Kyle Preserve.

James said it was a labor of love.

"Whenever I called anyone to say we needed help, people would say 'We'll be right over,'" James said. "When I asked the DNR if they could stock the ponds with fish, they came the next day with pan fish and bass."

The preserve includes paved trails winding back through the marshland so it's easily accessible by wheelchairs. Two large wooden platforms are built out over the shores of the two fishing ponds so children and the disabled can get up close and personal for either observing the plant life and wildlife or dangling a fishing line in the water.

One of the platforms has a device that serves as a reverse periscope, designed by park staff. The device is attached to the rail and juts down into the water, so when users peer into it, they can see the underwater vegetation and fish swimming by.

A "sun" shelter, with an angular, soaring roof, fronts the preserve, flanked by two unique wheelchair swings, low platforms that allow wheelchair-bound people to roll onto the platform and be swung with help from friends or family.

Irene Sickinger, a client at MARC, took advantage of a beautiful fall afternoon to swing back and forth with help from Edie Penn, director of MARC South.

Falk was delighted watching the smile on Irene's face.

"What can you say?" Falk said. "The little things we take for granted, such as walking across rip-rap (small rocks) to a lake shore, it's impossible for some to do it."

Dave Zweifel, editor of The Capital Times, said, "We were happy to be able to contribute to this very worthwhile park."

While the Jenni and Kyle Preserve is designed for use by the disabled and children, it will be open to everyone. Fishing, however, most likely will be restricted to the disabled and children.

Berling said MARC clients want to work in the park on cleanup detail. James said the county would be more than happy to hire MARC clients to work in the park.

"We're thrilled to be here, next to one of the best parks ever," Berling said. "At MARC, we try to create an environment where both our clients and our staff can be successful. This park is an ingredient to the recipe for success."

E-mail: bnovak@madison.com

Published: 8:10 AM 10/2/04