ATC employee helps spearhead Dane County trail upgrade
A multi-use trail at McCarthy Park in Cottage Grove, Wis., will be a more attractive option for outdoor enthusiasts this winter, thanks in part to efforts by American Transmission Co. employee Paul Roltgen.
Roltgen, a senior estimator at ATC, sits on the Friends of McCarthy Park board and is responsible for fundraising efforts to improve the 220-acre park.
An avid cross-country skier who participates in the American Birkebeiner every year, Roltgen started asking two years ago for donations to fund improvements that would benefit everyone who uses the park.
The Friends board decided that a poorly-draining road that cut off a main trail artery needed to be moved.
After Roltgen received a $2,500 donation from ATC, which he said was used for gravel materials, Roltgen asked McFarland-based Henkels & McCoy for help with the project.
The engineering and utility infrastructure company donated four days of labor to move the road and finish the trail, Roltgen said. Work began this month after securing permits from the Dane County Parks Division to move the road.
“The park is a really enjoyable place to be in the winter,” said Roltgen. “But this is also something we hope can be used year-round.”
Al Bayer, senior project manager at Henkels & McCoy, credited Roltgen with having a vision for the project.
“This is a good corporate citizenship partnership,” said Bayer. Roltgen said those living on the east side of the county will benefit from the improved multi-use trail.
“There are a lot more options like this for folks who live west of Madison, but not many for those around here,” said Roltgen.
