����Vlog��ý

Evidence of that trend is everywhere, and it could be here to stay.

“That focus on outdoor programming is very important, and I think it’s going to be a trend moving forward,” ����Vlog��ý Recreation Director Shelley Slapak said.

When the pandemic first hit, the city had to pivot its usual offerings to a virtual setting or cancel events that couldn’t be held online. But people grew tired of sitting on Zoom conference calls, so the city expanded outdoor activities.

Scavenger hunts for a hidden leprechaun, story walks with Hedberg Public Library, public sled sheds and other outdoor offerings drew lots of participants, she said.

“It really made our division, the recreation division, think outside the box—be more creative with what we were offering to the community,” she said. “And what we found is focusing on the outdoors, with people being cooped up inside with COVID-19, places being closed, events being canceled ... people wanted something to do. So we really wanted to focus on what household units or families can do safely together outside.”

For seniors, the city offered drive-in events such as bingo. Slapak said the decision to keep the outdoor concert series in Lower Courthouse Park last summer with grouped seating was another way to get people involved.

She believes some new offerings will stick around.

“I think there’s going to be a lot of things that we’re going to move back indoors, but some of these outdoor programs that we didn’t normally do, I think they’ll definitely continue in some capacity,” Slapak said.

“COVID-19 or not, getting outdoors and fresh air and enjoying Wisconsin’s parks is extremely important to overall health and wellness for our community.”

Pat Schenck, general manager at Quietwoods RV, 1710 W. Highway 14, said camper sales exploded worldwide in 2020.

He thinks the need for social distancing and the ability to be outside without a mask could be contributing to demand. In addition, some people are rediscovering their love for the outdoors.

“Last year, probably a good 30% of our business were first-time buyers,” Schenck said. “I mean like brand-new first-time buyers. They’d never had a pop-up, never had a camper, nothing.”

The company moved to ����Vlog��ý six years ago, and Schenck said he has never seen demand as high as it is now. The company has about a third of its usual inventory because recreational vehicles are selling so quickly and it takes longer to get new units because of demand.

Quietwoods RV ended 2020 waiting for about 100 campers ordered last summer to be assembled and shipped. The company sold 500 campers in 2020, nearly double its average.

There’s no indication that demand will ease anytime soon. Schenck urges potential buyers to act quickly.

“What most customers were thinking about today, somebody else was looking at yesterday,” he said. “So I really suggest, by all means, if you find something you like, don’t hesitate.”

He said the new sales open the door for future business through repairs, accessories and eventual replacement.

Ordering a particular recreational vehicle is faster than waiting to see which ones the company will get in stock, he said. It takes at least 10 to 15 weeks for a new camper or vehicle to arrive at Quietwoods RV from the time it is ordered and purchased.

“There’s just a huge bottleneck with so many people looking to buy,” Schenck said. “Nothing is normal about the last 18 months in this business.”

Along with camping, other outdoor activities have become more popular, too, according to a February report from the Wisconsin Policy Forum. The report noted:

• A 13.2% increase in fishing license sales between March 2020 and January 2021.
• A 42% increase in state park vehicle passes for the first 11 months of 2020 compared to all of 2019.
• A 33% increase in trail passes from April to December 2020 compared to 2019.
• About 26% of all sales tax came from sporting goods sales between March and November 2020, compared to 5.9% in 2019.