Environmentally sustainable icefishing house to be a winner

Putting Green will use house as clubhouse, concession stand, ticket booth and fish house

By RON LARSEN

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Just when you thought you'd seen all the creative, outside-the-box promotions the folks at Putting Green, Inc. have been using to plug their new environmental adventure and mini-golf park, they come up with another.

They've now launched a Putting Green design competition seeking an environmentally sustainable icefishing house. The top two designs will be rewarded with cash prizes, and the winner will have the satisfaction of knowing that Gov. Tim Pawlenty will be invited to fish in it next winter.

So, what in the world is an environmentally sustainable icefishing house?

"That's the beauty of this contest. It can be anything someone can imagine," said Laurel Gamm, Putting Green's executive director.

There's a practical reason for having this contest, Gamm said. Putting Green needs a clubhouse until its environmental center is built -- which may be a year or two down the road.

"We're starting construction on the first nine holes which should be completed by fall. However, we will need to continue raising money to build the other nine holes and the environmental center," Gamm said.

Along with the first nine holes, a parking lot, lighting and landscaping are going in this year. Putting Green's leaders want a facility that will serve as a clubhouse, concession stand, ticket booth or icefishing house.

In other words, this appears to be one whale of a project

"The space should be approximately 10'x12' and cost about $10,000 to build. It will serve as an office, concessions stand, ticket booth AND icefishing house," says the promotional material.

"Designers must present one board including a plan, elevations and a three-dimensional view. On the same board. indicate construction materials and provide commentary if needed to explain your design concept."

Deadline for design submissions is May 31.

Putting Green offers three websites "for inspiration and guidance on sustainable design:" www.leedbuilding.org, www.msdg.umn.edu and www.csbr.umn.edu/b3-sbdg.html.

The adventure park featuring 18 "environmental learning" holes is being built on land bounded by Valley and 20th South streets, near the Minnesota River.

Anticipating a lot of design entries, Gamm said, "We're really looking forward to our super cool -- warm in winter -- 'green' icefishing house."