Commission approves move of Full Circle sculpture from Riverwalk to Old Settlers Park after floodplain review

The West Bend Park and Recreation Commission voted Oct. 30 to relocate the Full Circle sculpture from the Veterans Avenue Riverwalk to a site in Old Settlers Park after staff and donor representatives concluded the current placement has a negative impact on the floodplain.

Parks staff said the primary concern is the sculpture’s base: floodplain modeling showed that placing structural elements in the floodplain would displace enough water during extreme events to adversely affect areas downstream, and could create debris hazards if elements broke loose. Staff cited federal and federal-agency floodplain guidance when summarizing the analysis; the West Bend Friends of Sculpture paid $5,500 for the group’s floodplain study and agreed the Old Settlers Park location is appropriate.

Mike, a parks presenter, told commissioners the Old Settlers Park site meets utility and visibility needs and is not in the Christmas tree or gazebo footprint. He cautioned that if Old Settlers Park undergoes a future renovation, the sculpture might need to be moved again and donors were aware of that possibility.

The commission approved the relocation by voice vote. Staff said they will coordinate the move with the Friends of Sculpture and SEH, the engineering firm that holds riverwalk surveys and modeling data, and will return to the commission if scheduling or additional permits are needed.