GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Near record high water levels have the Bay of Green Bay at the rocks of Bay Beach Amusement Park’s shore right now.
So where is the sand going to go as the city looks to restore the park’s beach as part of a $7 million project?
Green Bay Parks Director Dan Ditscheit tells FOX 11 engineers will likely need two or three more months to finalize how the work will be done. He says construction should then start in the fall.
“Where you’re going to see the difference is from the riprap edge out into the bay. So the sand will come in and fill over the riprap, so you won’t even see the riprap and then it will just slope outwards into the bay.”
Before the sand is put in, a fabric could be put over the rocky material called riprap. However, the riprap can’t be taken out.
“We do need to keep that in place because that is our flood control for the area,” said Ditscheit. “So, we’re not able to remove it, so that is why we’re building on top of it.”
He says the sand will also be piled into and on top of the water.
“So the beach is actually designed to accommodate the fluctuating water levels.”
When water levels are low, the sand beach will be about 100 feet wide. On high-water level days, Ditscheit says its width will shrink to about 50 feet.
“If it’s designed to the right angle, we’ll expect on some days some of the sand will be washed away and on other days it will come back in so it should sustain itself over time.”
With construction of the new ferris wheel, called ‘The Big Wheel’, the city was able to get somewhat of a head start on the beach project.
They were able to put in large rocks that will line the length of the beach, dividing it from the new boardwalk.
“Really what we’re going to do is replace the asphalt with permanent concrete,” said Ditscheit. “It will be about the same width.”
The goal is for the entire beach project to be finished at some point next summer.
The city is borrowing $5 million for the project, fundraising another $1 million, and collecting $1 million in grants.
Ditscheit says the city is nearing its fundraising goal and is about halfway to its goal for grants.
The DNR has already issued the necessary permits for the swimming beach.
