Already Planning For AirVenture Grounds Upgrades in 2015

Longtime AirVenture volunteers know that there are always some upgrades and changes to the site each year. Some years they are major, while other years feature only some tweaks. Even as the ground freezes and snow starts to fly in Oshkosh this month, planning is under way for next spring’s projects.

Some of those projects have already started. Steve Taylor, who manages the grounds and maintenance, notes that concrete has been poured at the main gate admission buildings, eliminating the situation where guests stand on sometime-soggy woodchips while waiting to purchase their wristbands. Concrete was chosen to prevent the big heat reflection that comes from asphalt.

The Ultralight Fun Fly Zone food concession stand will also get an upgrade for 2015. The old building was beyond repair, so another building will be repurposed for the job and also be placed in an area with better drainage.

Another project in the planning stages is Camp Scholler road improvement next spring. That includes adding hard surface for the some of the major east-west roads in the campground, particularly Cottonwood and Cedar Avenues. That will make it easier to place dumpsters and portable toilets, as they won’t have to be removed from the truck and hauled individually to their locations. The road improvements may cut into some roadside campsites on those thoroughfares.

Speaking of planning, long-range visioning sessions will take place this month to look at what the grounds will look like five and 10 years from now. The first stage is simply listing needs as part of a list that includes the input already received from chairmen and volunteers over the past year.

One other great news item: Because of generous donors, dozens of trees have been planted throughout the grounds that will provide additional shade and greenspace in future years.