06/19/2026
Heads up, ECYC families! Eau Claire County Parks & Forest (land manager of Lowes Creek and the Expo Center) has a couple of items on their upcoming agenda that could affect all of us.
First, the Committee plans to vote on endorsing an outdoors plan that:
- envisions a “strong outdoor recreation economy” with a “wide array of outdoor activity options”
- includes guiding principles of treating outdoor recreation as “essential infrastructure…prioritized within local government decision-making, staffing, and budgeting”
- strives to “maintain and improve recreation infrastructure and experiences”
- looks to “support festivals, outdoor events…that enhance the region’s identity and visitor appeal”
- would “expand opportunities for outdoor recreation experiences that attract both residents and visitors”
- would also “support tournaments, races, competitive recreation, and sports tourism opportunities.”
During this same meeting, the Committee will be discussing the potential sale of the Eau Claire Expo Center, which seems counterintuitive to the points above and could be a big blow to trail-based recreation and tourism here in our community.
ECYC parents, student-athletes, coaches, and supporters, these are definitely important topics to tune into. See the Volume One article for info on Monday’s committee meeting and how to contact Eau Claire County Parks & Forest.
The Eau Claire County Expo Center's "potential sale" is up for discussion according to the agenda for the Eau Claire County Parks & Forest Committee’s next meeting, slated for 11:30am on Monday, June 22.
The Expo Center, which sits on roughly 27 acres across two parcels of land on the south side of Eau Claire, has over 12,000 square feet of combined indoor event space.
County Administrator, Jon Johnson, said the estimated property value of the Expo Center is about $3 million.
According to County Parks & Forest Director, Josh Pedersen, the Expo Center has been financially lucrative for several years – that fact is not necessarily what is up for discussion.
“Budgetarily, the facility is operating as a cash positive program for our department,” Pedersen shared. “Whether that is the best use of this property and real estate and could it be better served under different ownership, is the question that the committee will need to debate.”
User groups including the Eau Claire Curling Club, CORBA and organizers of the Eau Claire County Fair are among those regularly utilizing the Expo Center.
🔗 Read the full story: https://volumeone.org/articles/2026/06/18/392779-eau-claire-county-expo-center-considered-for-potential-sale