The Friends of the Black River Forest marched and demonstrated in front of The American Club and other locations owned by Kohler Company, as part of the group’s latest attempt to push back plans for a new course in the town of Wilson, Wis.
The Friends of the Black River Forest group marched and demonstrated on Saturday, December 5th in front of The American Club in Kohler, Wis. and other locations owned by the Kohler Company, the Sheboygan (Wis.) Press reported, as the latest attempt to push back plans for a new golf course on 247 acres of Kohler-owned property in the town of Wilson, Wis.
Part of the plan would require an easement on several acres of adjoining Kohler-Andrae State Park, the Press reported. Kohler has promoted the project as an economic boon to a town that has struggled to bring business and tax revenue. Wilson is currently engaged in a lawsuit before the state Court of Appeals over a failed business park development and whether the land can be annexed by the city of Sheboygan, the Press reported.
The Friends of the Black River Forest group has fervently opposed the plan, the Press reported, arguing that deforestation on the land will be vast, rare species will be destroyed and that the entire project will degrade the natural resources of the area, which is one of the few undeveloped pieces of property on the Wisconsin shore of Lake Michigan.
C&RB has reported several times over the past two years on Kohler’s proposal and objections raised by the Black River Forest group:
http://clubandresortbusiness.com/2015/03/23/kohler-co-revamps-land-use-plan-for-golf-course/
http://clubandresortbusiness.com/2014/07/16/kohler-co-writes-open-letter-concerned-residents/
http://clubandresortbusiness.com/2014/06/12/group-opposes-kohler-co-project/
http://clubandresortbusiness.com/2014/04/08/kohler-co-confirms-plans-fifth-golf-course/
http://clubandresortbusiness.com/2014/03/25/kohler-considers-fifth-golf-course-wisconsin/
During the December 5th demonstration, the Press reported, about 17 protesters gathered in front of the American Club and other Kohler properties, shouting various chants, including “Build families, not fairways,” and “Hands off our water, Kohler.” They got a few claps and cheers of “Solidarity!”, the Press reported, from nearby Kohler union members who were about to enter their fourth week of striking against the company over wages and benefits.
One of the protesters, Mike Leannah, from Sheboygan, worried what impact another golf course would have on the “atmosphere” in the area.
“They [Kohler] think, ‘Oh, this is good for our state’ to have another golf course, you know, economically,” Leannah told the Press. “That’s how they feel. That’s not how I feel. We have enough golf courses.”
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