GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Green Bay is another step closer to constructing a beach near Bay Beach amusement park.
But first, the DNR wants your input.
Decades ago, the beach was a popular attraction.
Fast-forward to now and Mayor Jim Schmitt tells FOX 11 the city of Green Bay has been working to restore the beach and make improvements.
“It’s been three years of testing, of work, of design and I think that’s going to be something long term that this city and really this whole region is going to enjoy.”
The city submitted permits for a sand beach area, a wildlife viewing platform and a boardwalk along the shoreline.
“What we’re looking at doing is building a 1,000 foot, lineal foot beach and that’ll be a sand beach basically from the property line to the new tot rides that we just built recently.”
Dan Ditscheit is Green Bay interim parks director.
“The viewing platform is gonna basically be a 400 foot long pier, more or less, and there will be fishing opportunities at the end of it along with a few bump outs for, kind of, getting off to the edge and viewing the wildlife.”
The mayor estimates the entire project will cost up to $5 million.
The city is still working on an estimated cost for the beach, boardwalk, and pier.
Schmitt says the city also has to find a way to pay for the development.
“I would propose that the city pay 60 percent and that grants and donations pay the remaining 40 percent. That will be my proposal to the city council.”
Even without the beach, the amusement park is a popular attraction. The city estimates 867,000 people visited Bay Beach last year. In 2016, an estimated 784,000 people visited the park.
As for bringing back the beach, the public will have 30 days to submit comments to the DNR.
If you’d like to comment on the water permits, email Crystal.VonHoldt@wisconsin.gov. You can also send comments about the entire project to dandi@greenbaywi.gov.
