The pavilion at St. John's Park in downtown Green Bay on July 22, 2025. PC: Fox 11 Online
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Green Bay wants to know what it should do with a park known as a hangout for the homeless.
“We don’t necessarily want the current status of the usage of the park to dictate what the park looks like in the decades to come,” said Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich.
As it puts together a masterplan for St. John’s Park, the city is asking for resident input on the degree it should help the homeless at the park.
A community input session is being held from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday in council chambers at Green Bay City Hall. A six-question survey is also available for people to fill out online.
Neighbors of St. John’s Park, which is across the street from St. John’s men’s homeless shelter, are aware of the park’s daily activity.
“I’ve seen police arrest people,” said Jordan Ortiz. “A lot of people are living there, obviously.”
Ortiz purchased a nearby 10-unit apartment building in April, thinking people ready to leave the park or shelter could be potential tenants.
“I think, like anything, if you can have a solution that lets people stay there but doesn’t enable them in a certain way,” said Ortiz. “If they truly can move on from that, then I think that’s the best solution.”
Green Bay Parks Director Dan Ditscheit says the homeless population is a large discussion point in what to do with St. John’s Park.
“What we want to do is gauge an interest from the public. Is that a service the city should continue to provide, where we design the park to accommodate the needs of the homeless population in any capacity? In an extended capacity from what we currently do? Or something in between?” said Ditscheit.
Earlier this year, the city council approved removing the playground equipment from St. John’s Park. It was the oldest equipment the city had, but city staff also acknowledged they hadn’t seen anyone use the equipment in several years.
“We have a ton of neighborhood parks with playgrounds all throughout the city, and I think one thing we are missing a little bit is more of an urban park with hard surfaces, fountains, things of that nature, that you might see in a larger community,” said Genrich.
Genrich and other city staff say everything remains on the table — including putting in new playground equipment — but public feedback will guide the process.
Officials at St. John’s Ministries say they’ll be prepared for whatever the city comes up with.
“If the park should become a more public space, we’re still going to engage with those individuals who are currently utilizing it and try to connect with them wherever they might go, if it’s not with us at St. John’s Ministries,” said Tony Schneider, St. John’s Ministries’ director of community engagement.
It’s anyone’s guess where the homeless would go if the city were to try to veer away from the current situation.
“You might see folks who are at the park right now disperse throughout the city,” said Schneider. “You might see that same congregation go to another location. I think whatever happens, where those individuals go, it might just create an issue in that neighborhood or that area. Right now, at that park, they are close to the services if they need them, and we’re close to those guests, if we need to contact them as well.”
Ortiz says a more traditional park should be the goal.
“It would be nice, especially for some tenants, to be able to use that confidently and securely and for it to grow,” said Ortiz.
The city says there isn’t a timeline for when a masterplan for the park will be ready.
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