Apple Creek Trail Segment Closes Indefinitely
Businesses near Ballard Road and Meade Street should expect reduced trail traffic during Thrivent-area construction.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Openings & Closings
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Appleton Parks and Recreation has closed the Apple Creek Trail between Ballard Road and Meade Street indefinitely, citing ongoing construction in the Thrivent development area. The closure was announced Nov. 5 and affects trail users on the segment.
Why it matters
Trail access in the segment will be unavailable for an indefinite period while construction continues around the Thrivent development. Operators with businesses near the corridor should expect changes to foot traffic patterns until the closure is lifted.
Thrivent Financial's $80 million Evergreen Operations Center will be a four-story, 155,000-square-foot building accommodating 1,400 Appleton-area employees. The surrounding Wilden Portfolio Park spans 580 acres.
The players
Thrivent Financial
Thrivent Financial is a Minneapolis-based financial services organization that offers insurance, investment and banking products, and is a major employer in the Fox Valley.
Appleton Parks and Recreation
Appleton Parks and Recreation is the municipal department that manages the city's parks and trail network, including the Apple Creek Trail.
The details
The trail segment between Ballard Road and Meade Street was closed because of construction tied to the Thrivent development area. Thrivent broke ground Sept. 23 on the Evergreen Operations Center at 1505 E. Evergreen Drive, between Ballard and Meade. The building sits within Wilden Portfolio Park, a larger subdivision that is expected to include commercial and retail developments, public spaces and housing units.
Timeline
Sept. 23: Thrivent broke ground on the Evergreen Operations Center.
Nov. 5: Appleton Parks and Recreation announced the indefinite trail closure.
Market Landscape
The Evergreen Operations Center is part of Wilden Portfolio Park, a 580-acre subdivision slated for commercial, retail, public space and housing development. Trail closures during construction are a typical side effect of large-scale subdivision buildout in growing mid-sized cities.
Businesses near the Apple Creek Trail corridor should plan for reduced foot and bike traffic until the segment reopens. Operators may want to monitor Appleton Parks and Recreation updates for any reopening timeline.
The takeaway
Operators near Ballard Road and Meade Street should factor an indefinite trail closure into foot-traffic planning. Track updates from Appleton Parks and Recreation for any reopening date tied to the Wilden Portfolio Park construction.
Further reading
For related coverage, browse Openings & Closings in Appleton.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Post-Crescent.
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