By Andrew Fefer, for the Chippewa Valley Post
An Eau Claire attorney who supports recognizing Native American history at the confluence of the Eau Claire and Chippewa River told the CVPost that he has no input to plans for the plaza under consideration in that area.
But Eau Claire’s city engineer said there could be a chance to recognize many aspects of the area’s history as the site takes shape in the months ahead.
Edmund Manydeeds said Tuesday that he mentioned the importance of Native American history in Eau Claire during his time on the UW System Board of Regents several years ago, but that discussion did not encompass Haymarket Plaza. That is the public space proposed for the city-owned parcel of land at 100 Eau Claire St. in downtown Eau Claire. It’s a little more than an acre of land that sits between Haymarket Landing, a mixed-use building on S. Barstow Street, and the Pablo Center at the Confluence.
Manydeeds said that it is also an area that was sacred to two Native American tribes: the Chippewa and the Lakota (commonly known as the Sioux). He said Eau Claire was an area that was populated by the tribes before what he described as the white invasion of the continent, involving French fur trappers and others. (Manydeeds himself has a Lakota heritage.)
“This is an area where there were sometimes fights and battles over territory and it became a place where the tribes would come to meet and to discuss and resolve their differences. And this is, you know, over the course of many, many years,” Manydeeds said.
Appointed to Board of Regents in 2010
Manydeeds was appointed to the Board of Regents in March, 2010. He said it was a couple years into his term when he made his comments to the Capital Building Committee. That was when the UW-Eau Claire Foundation told him it had bought land near the confluence of the rivers, and was considering the area for a theater and amid some discussion of whether any of the existing buildings on the site should somehow be preserved for their historical value.
“I just wanted to convey to the people that were at that spot that that piece of land is significant because it’s where people lived,” he said. It’s where native people played. It’s where they told their stories. It’s where they entertained each other. It’s where they had their disputes mediated.”
Manydeeds said the other members of the Building Committee were enthusiastic about the concept of recognizing that history, but they also had concerns. They wanted to know what it would cost to build the infrastructure and maintain it.
“There were a lot of things that the committee felt we didn’t know the answer to, so we directed (UW-EC) to go back and put together that information for us,” Manydeeds said. “But, the planning committee and the entire Board of Regents that we reported back to the day after that initial meeting . . . were very enthusiastic about it, very excited to see that happen.
“It’s one thing to hear about a building and it’s another thing to hear about what someone has to say about its location and its meaning,” he added. “And I feel that what I said was, in a small way, helpful in getting the Regents enthusiastic about it back then.”
Plaza Plans
The site of the plaza, which was most recently used as a parking lot, is currently vacant. Supporters produced an idea in the early 2000s to build a public plaza or park in that spot. Stakeholders came up with a master plan for the space, which the Eau Claire City Council approved in July 2017. That plan called for a relatively flat space, decorative stone and concrete, trails and access to the Eau Claire and Chippewa Rivers as well as to streets.
This week, the Eau Claire Plan Commission approved a site plan for Haymarket Plaza. It included modifications aimed at making it easier for pedestrians to get around the space and access the rivers. The site plan also includes a design for a pedestrian bridge to connect the plaza to Phoenix Park. Eau Claire City Engineer Dave Solberg said that the budget for the plaza project, which includes the bridge and a trail that connects the plaza to Lake Street, is around $4,4 million. The City Council is expected to take public comment on the proposal on Mar. 26, and vote on it during its legislative session the next day.
Plans call for work to start on the plaza and bridge this spring and to finish in the fall. That’s also when the arts center is expected to open.
Details of Eau Claire’s History Could be Included
Although there is not currently a specific plan to recognize details of Eau Claire’s history at the plaza, Solberg said that could change. He noted that many of the plaza’s features are meant to be a tribute to Eau Claire’s logging era.
“In principle or in theory, we would like to recognize the past history of Eau Claire, as well as include artwork, but the specifics of that haven’t been determined yet,” Solberg said. “So, there definitely would be an opportunity.”
He said he was not previously aware of Manydeeds’ comments.
“It would be something that we’d be interested in bringing up along the river walk and along the plaza, if able to,” he said.
Manydeeds’ term on the Board of Regents ended last year. He said that, while he is aware of the plans for the plaza, he does not plan to attend the Mar. 27 Council meeting.
“In a perfect world, would I like to see some reference to the historical significance of that area? Sure, but I’m not on the City Council,” Manydeeds said. “I’m not making those plans, and they’re doing what they think is best for the city and that setting.
“I recognize that it’s hard to please everybody.”
Note: the conceptual rendering of the Haymarket Plaza project on the home page was provided by the City of Eau Claire. You can see more artist’s renderings by clicking here.