I am super excited to share with you all the ups and downs of living in Dunn County! It's my hope that I can take you on a journey across the beautiful landscape of Dunn County as well as through the city of Menomonie and other quaint towns that offer great shops, restaurants and pubs. Plus let's not forget the fun parks and trails and those rustic roads that makes you feel like escaping from the craziness of life and feeling lost in nature.
Along with the great scenery and hot spots of Dunn County comes the downsides of living in Dunn County. There is always room for improvement, right? As a Dunn County Board candidate running in District 21, I have been hitting the streets to truly listen to the residents perspective of living in the city of Menomonie and Dunn County. I want to be a voice for those living in District 21 and taking it to the County Board table. It's all about bringing the county government back to the people!
So, this past Saturday I had the opportunity to talk to quite a few students from UW-Stout along 6th and 7th Street East and 14th Avenue East by the Senior Center. I must say the feedback from the students overall are positive vibes when it comes to living in Menomonie. From a rural, family, friendly, country feel to their home away from home. The location is ideal for those who have family in the cities. And some even expressed how the university intertwines with the community of Menomonie. Especially the downtown area where the university meshes right into the landscape and culture of it. I am happy to hear even though many are far away from home they feel right at home in Menomonie.
Now for the downside. I have heard concern about the condition of the roads in the streets of Menomonie in the winter months, the need for improvement in snow plowing and removal of the city streets. Is it possible for them to do a better job cleaning up the corners where the sidewalk meets the street? An honest concern and question worth mentioning in the next Dunn County Board meeting which is the third Wednesday of every month at 7:00 pm on Dunn County Boards YouTube Channel. By the way, I personally think we need to go back to in-person Board meetings to have that personable interactions with one another and a true, real connection with the communities of Dunn County.
Than it was mentioned that Menomonie is light in restaurants. I suppose if your from the twin cities or Chicago area it definitely would feel like a lack of selection in the restaurant sector. But, if your willing to venture outside of the city limits I highly recommend Roadside 25 on Hwy 25 in Wheeler or Jake's Supper Club on Hwy D by Tainter Lake. Roadside 25 has incredibly awesome burgers and pizzas while Jake's is for those that are into fine dining like steak and seafood to spoil your sweetheart with a beautiful view of the Red Cedar River that flows into Tainter Lake along with live entertainment during the summer and early fall.
Lastly, a concern popped up about the five way intersection in downtown Menomonie by Westconsin Credit Union and CVS. For those just passing through it can be intimidating and quite confusing. And hazardous if you are not alert with the surroundings within that intersection. Of course, roundabouts can also be confusing as well for some drivers. I have been fortunate to have no incidents at the five way intersection since my residency in the City of Menomonie for almost 8 years. If any of you reading this blog have, please, let me hear about your close call encounter with the five way intersection in Downtown Menomonie. This could indicate a need to evaluate, survey and look into other alternative options to change the dimensions of the current intersection.
I just want to say “Thank You” to James, Noah, Eli, another Noah, Kayla, Cole, Coco, Amanda and Brian for your willingness to take the time to express your thoughts and where your at when it comes to living in the City of Menomonie and Dunn County.
In closing, I thought it would be nice to post some pictures I captured while crusing the countryside of Irvington along the Red Cedar River. The river is not the only attraction to the Irvington area. It has beautiful hills and valleys and the Devil's Punchbowl which is quite the phenomenon. In the Spring, which will quickly be upon us(can we say “Hallaluja”) I will have pictures for you all to put you in an awe and a wonder of the Punchbowl of Irvington. May my pictures below bring unto each of you a sense of peace, tranquility and a deeper appreciation for nature and all of God's creations. And I hope it will give you the itch to hop in your car, van or truck and explore the countryside of Dunn County.
From one Dunn County Neighbor to another - Happy Adventures😀
Laurie J. Christianson
My hubby it itching for country drives lately. Too bad gas prices take the fun out of it. Thank you for this sunshiney post. :)