City of Sheboygan and Fox Valley Athletics sign five-year agreement
Wildwood Athletic Park opened in 1974 on top of a landfill
SHEBOYGAN — Softball is returning to Wildwood after the City of Sheboygan inked a long-term agreement with an Oshkosh company.
Fox Valley Athletics has agreed to pay the City of Sheboygan $3,000 this year to operate the Wildwood Athletic Park on New Jersey Avenue. Payments to the city will increase by $250 each year and will reach $4,000 per year in 2029. The city entered into a one-year agreement with Fox Valley Athletics in 2024. In addition to Sheboygan, it operates adult softball leagues in Appleton, Menasha, and Neenah.
Eric Schaefer, owner of Fox Valley Athletics, ushered in a new vision for the athletic complex. “He brought professionalism with structured rules and consequences that brought a more enjoyable atmosphere and play for all teams,” said Joe Kerlin, Superintendent of Parks. “The Department of Public Works looks forward to forming a partnership offering a well-organized, well-run program and continued improvements to the park.”
The park features three softball diamonds that sit on top of a landfill. Construction was scheduled to begin in 1971 but city officials delayed the project to receive additional federal and state funds. The complex finally officially opened in 1974 and was built at a cost of $173,000. The 12.5-acre property was originally intended to be developed for industrial use but when city officials learned that the land could not hold an industrial building, the athletic complex was built instead.
In February 2014, the Sheboygan Common Council voted to terminate its agreement with the Sheboygan Softball Association. The group had managed the complex since construction started in 1973. Mid-Lake Softball Organization (MLSO) was awarded the contract from 2014 until the end of the 2023 season.
Last year, the City of Sheboygan made several improvements to the complex including resurfacing the parking lot, adding lighting and making concrete repairs. A crosswalk was installed on New Jersey Avenue, linking the Wildwood Baseball Park to the Wildwood Athletic Park. As a result, the street was narrowed mid-block.
However, the softball complex is still in need of further improvements. During a visit last weekend, damage to the ticket booths were observed. The dugouts were weathered, unreadable and faded signs were posted to fences, and the MLSO logo still appears on the scoreboards and signage throughout the park. A sign advertising free Wi-Fi from Milwaukee PC is posted at the front entrance though no internet service could be accessed.
According to the city, three new scoreboards were purchased at the end of 2024.
Wildwood Industrial Park
Today’s Wildwood Neighborhood was known as Lyman Flats. In 1940, the City of Sheboygan annexed 290-acres of land from the Town of Sheboygan. It was not until 1961 when the city began efforts to improve the area and purchased 29-acres for what would become the Wildwood Industrial Park.
In 1965, the city's Planning Department sought to construct River Park Drive, a parkway that would would run along the Sheboygan River from New Jersey Avenue to Wildwood Avenue. Construction was estimated at $82,000 in 1968. Ultimately, the Common Council decided not to proceed with the parkway and the road was never built. If it had, River Park Drive would have linked to Kiwanis Park and ended at North 14th Street where Starbucks is located.
Today, Wildwood Industrial Park is home to Altmeyer Electric, Wolf's Linen, Wisconsin Public Service, Rogers Behavioral Health, Sheboygan Lakers Ice Center, Hit Machine Baseball, and Wittneben Auto Service. Last year, SACO AEI Polymers purchased the 222,400-square-foot building formerly occupied by Nemschoff Chairs for $7 million.
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