Ask anyone with young kids in Superior about their favorite park to visit and you'll usually get a wide variety of answers;  that's because the community has a large number of smaller neighborhood parks to enjoy.  But one park name in particular usually comes up, although its location - and its name - seems to be a secret to many.

We're talking about Gouge Park.  What's that?  You've never heard of Gouge Park?  Well, maybe you know it by its nickname:  Turtle Park.

Located in Superior's East End neighborhood, Gouge - or - Turtle Park is a hidden jewel for families.  It's big enough that there is plenty of room for the kids to run around; it offers a small pavilion with a roof - to get out of the elements if need be.

And it's location is a win-win set-up:  Even though it's just a block of so off a busy roadway (Highway 2/Highway 53/East 2nd Street), you would never know that; Turtle Park seems insulated enough that you don't see or hear that traffic - and there is no direct route off of that busy roadway (i.e. the streets that border the park don't connect to the highway).

Turtle Park also provides all the usual amenities that a family park offers:  a couple of swing sets, a jungle gym, a dirt-digger, rocking horses, a slide, and picnic tables.  It also has three climbable turtle structures - and that's where Gouge Park has gotten its nickname from.

As of late, those three turtle structures have been sort of colorless.  While they may have had paint on them at one point, that hasn't been the case as of late.

The turtles recently received some paint and marking to make them "come to life".  According to details shared on the City of Superior's Facebook page, a volunteer came to the City of Superior Parks, Recreation, and Forestry Department with a vision and a plan to get the turtles painted.  From there, the city helped to secure the materials (paint, brushes, etc) needed, and let Amy - the volunteer - get to work.

Check out the pictures of the new paint job for yourself:

City of Superior
City of Superior
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City of Superior
City of Superior
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City of Superior
City of Superior
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City of Superior
City of Superior
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Turtle Park (Gouge Park) is located at 315 13th Avenue East in Superior.  That address puts in between East 3rd and East 4th Streets and 12th Avenue East and 13th Avenue East.  The easiest way to get there is off of East 5th Street in East End.  However, you can also get there from the main highway - but you need to plan a little in advance (remember, the border avenues don't connect to Highway 2/Highway 53, so you'll need to exit off a little earlier).

The City of Superior and the City's Parks, Recreation, and Forestry Department welcomes community involvement like the kind that brought the paint job to Turtle Park. If you have an idea or want to help out, you're asked to contact the city's Volunteer Coordinator:  715-395-7361.

 

 

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