2026 Winner
Features fieldhouse
When Jenn and Jason Slusser envisioned the Features Fieldhouse six years ago, stormwater management was not at the top of their priority list.
The longtime owners of Features Restaurant in West Salem had a different goal in mind: create a place where local kids could play, practice, and stay active year-round.
With three children of their own, the Slussers understood firsthand how difficult it could be to find gym space. They saw an opportunity to invest in their community and create a resource that would serve local families for generations.
As construction began, however, they discovered something many property owners learn the hard way: water always finds a path.
During the building process, rainstorms carried sediment from the site into nearby streets. The Slussers received warnings from both the Village of West Salem and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. They knew there was a problem, but they weren't exactly sure how to solve it.
Fortunately, their construction partner, Wieser Brothers, brought innovative ideas to the table.
Rather than simply moving water off the property as quickly as possible, the team designed the site to capture, slow, and absorb stormwater before it could leave the property.
One of the most unique features is the building itself. The entire structure was intentionally sloped so that rain and snowmelt from the roof flow toward one side of the property. Gutters direct that water into a large biofilter basin planted with cattails and other native vegetation. Instead of rushing into a storm sewer, water is given time to soak into the ground while plants filter pollutants and sediments.
The parking lots were also carefully graded to guide runoff where it can do the most good. Three rain gardens, connected through curb cuts, intercept water flowing from paved surfaces. During storms, these landscaped depressions temporarily hold water, allowing it to slowly infiltrate into the soil rather than carrying pollutants downstream.
Today, visitors may notice the rain gardens, native plants, curb cuts, and basin as attractive landscape features. What they may not realize is that these elements are working together as a complete stormwater management system.
The Features Fieldhouse demonstrates that effective water stewardship doesn't always begin with expertise. Sometimes it begins with a willingness to learn, solve problems, and improve along the way.
By creating opportunities for local youth while also protecting local waterways, Jenn and Jason Slusser have shown how community investment and environmental stewardship can go hand in hand.
For turning a stormwater challenge into a community success story, La Crosse Area Waters is proud to recognize Features Fieldhouse as the 2026 Soak It Up Award recipient.
Great ideas can have a ripple effect. The Soak It Up Award honors individuals, businesses, and organizations that are improving our communities through water-friendly landscapes and innovative stormwater practices.
These projects help protect local waterways, strengthen neighborhoods, and inspire others to create positive change.
Know a project making an impact? Nominate it for the next Soak It Up Award today!