UPDATE: Plans to open Howard’s Duck Creek Quarry Park include wristbands for beachgoers, other changes

TUESDAY 6/9/2020 1:32 p.m.

HOWARD, Wis. (WFRV) – Plans are underway to open Howard’s Duck Creek Quarry Park within the next few weeks.

The Village says that while the majority of the park and trail will reopen to all visitors later this month, the beach area will be open for limited use and primarily for Howard residents and their guests.

On Monday, the Village Board voted 5-4 to open the Quarry with the following conditions:

The beach area will have limited access between the hours of 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. only. The beach will be closed outside of those hours.
All beach users, including swimmers, sunbathers, and picnickers, must have a wristband to enter the beach area. Wristbands are free and will be available for residents to pick up at
Howard Village Hall starting the week of June 15. A photo I.D. or other proof of Howard residency is required.
Adults may pick up one wristband for each member of their family. Each household also will receive two additional wristbands that may be used to bring resident or non-resident guests.
The remainder of the park and the trail will be open to all visitors and for all uses, except swimming, during normal park hours. Fishing is allowed throughout the park. Non-motorized boating, paddle boarding, etc. should launch from the dock, and dog swimming also is designated in that area. Those activities are not allowed on or from the swimming beach.
An official park open date will be announced once the proper gates and signage are installed. Officials expect those efforts to take about 10-14 days.

Multiple swimming spaces across Northeast Wisconsin will remain closed this summer, including:

City of Appleton pools
Ashwaubomay Lake in Ashwaubenon
Outagamie County’s Plamann Lake
Oshkosh’s Pollock Water Park

Some swim areas are opening this year, including:

Howard’s Duck Creek Quarry to open for the summer

TUESDAY 6/9/2020 1:08 p.m.

HOWARD, Wis. (WFRV) – The Duck Creek Quarry in Howard will open this summer following a decision by the Village Board Monday night.

Village officials tell WFRV Local 5 that the beach will open to residents only from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. once an implementation plan has been put together. They hope to be ready on Thursday, June 18.

At that time, the Quarry will open for all to kayak and fish.

Officials add that the beach limitation is due to concerns surrounding overcrowding. The beach area is currently reduced due to high water in the Quarry.

More details regarding the Quarry opening are expected later Tuesday. WFRV Local 5 will provide those updates as they become available.

Multiple swimming spaces across Northeast Wisconsin will remain closed this summer, including:

City of Appleton pools
Ashwaubomay Lake in Ashwaubenon
Outagamie County’s Plamann Lake
Oshkosh’s Pollock Water Park

Some swim areas are opening this year, including:

Original Story: Howard’s Duck Creek Quarry closed until further notice

TUESDAY 5/12/2020 9:00 a.m.

HOWARD, Wis. (WFRV) – The Duck Creek Quarry will remain closed until further notice following a unanimous vote by Village of Howard officials on Monday night.

As the weather gets warmer, residents tend to head out to the beach at the Duck Creek Quarry.

This year, with the Ashwaubomay Aquatic Center in Ashwaubenon shut down and a new beach at Green Bay’s Bay Beach still a work in progress, Howard officails fear the Quarry will draw in too many people, creating an unsafe situation.

“If our park is open and the other municipalities are still closed, that will make our park even more attractive and appealing to those folks in the community,” Ed Janke, Director of Public Safety for Howard tells WFRV Local 5. “So, again, it’s our concern that we’ll have too high a density for the area that we have there.”

As restrictions surrounding the coronavirus evolve, the Howard Village Board says it will reconsider the closure on June 8.