Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary entrance in Green Bay, July 30, 2025. PC: Fox 11 Online
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Improvements are in the works at a popular recreation spot in Green Bay.
The City Parks Committee recommended hiring a consulting firm to create a master plan for Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary.
From ducks dabbling on a lagoon, to a very young white-tailed deer, many say the 535-acre urban nature preserve has a lot to offer.
Inside the Nature Center building, Tisa Caruso of Green Bay is taking in the exhibits with her family.
“We know that there are a lot of wildlife out here at Bay Beach, and we like to take nice walks and enjoy the sunshine. Today was so nice, so we decided to come visit the animals,” said Caruso.
Green Bay city leaders say they want to improve the experience at the sanctuary. Parks Director Dan Ditscheit says the last time the master plan was updated was 1980.
“We have a lot of development going on out there. We want to make sure that everything’s designed properly and goes in the right spot. Part of this is, we’re going to be looking at all of our buildings and our functions within the buildings,” said Ditscheit.
Ditscheit says Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary is free to enter by design.
“Currently, taxpayers subsidize a lot of the expenses at the sanctuary, but not all of them. We have the Friends of the Wildlife Sanctuary, and a gild board where they fundraise a lot of opportunities to rehab the animals, to pay for development on the site,” he said.
On Wednesday evening, the Green Bay Parks Committee voted to hire WDM Architects to create the master plan. Ditscheit says donations will cover the $310,000 cost.
“The ultimate goal is to make the sanctuary a little more financially stable, or more financially independent of the taxpayers,” he said.
Caruso agrees.
“Basic upgrades, maybe. But I think as a whole, it’s an excellent facility. I see them taking care of the exhibits and everything all the time. So I think it’s a great place for families and people to come. And maybe a little bit of money would help keep it going and take it further into the future,” she said.
The issue is on its way to the Green Bay Common Council for approval at its next meeting. If passed, it could take about a year to complete the master plan.
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