GREEN BAY (NBC26) — A waterfront plot of land off South Broadway Street in Green Bay's Shipyard District is set to become a destination park this year — but rising construction costs have created a $2 million budget gap.
The development, the second phase of a three-part redevelopment plan for the city's shoreline, will include a dog park, splash pad, beverage garden, sand volleyball courts, and a great lawn for events. Groundbreaking is planned for later this year, with construction expected to wrap next summer.
Parks Director Dan Ditscheit said a matching grant from the National Park Service (NSP) funded half of the estimated $10 million project.
"This is a site that's been an empty grass field for decades," Ditscheit noted.
Engineers now estimate the project will total $12 million. The City has not yet received bids from contractors.
Ditscheit explained that the city may have options to close the gap.
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"We were told that there's possibly some additional grant money available," Ditscheit said.
The NPS has said it could provide up to another million dollars for the project, through another grant that the City would have to match.
If Green Bay does not receive additional grant dollars, Ditscheit said some amenities would be cut from the project.
It has not yet been decided which features would be dropped.
Locals Shaun and Jessica Pelot said they are most excited about the dog park.
"We have a dog at home. We'd bring her here," Shaun Pelot mentioned. "It would be kind of cool just to hang out," Jessica Pelot added.
Ditscheit said the park is intended to be more than a green space — outdoor festivals and summer concerts are planned to make it a revenue-generating attraction.
"We're hoping to keep it a vibrant park that's a showcase for the city," Ditscheit emphasized.
While the project is behind its original schedule, Ditscheit said it remains within the requirements of its grant funding.
City leaders expect to learn by the end of this month whether they have been approved by the NPS for additional grant funding.
Once construction is complete, the city will begin preparations for the third and final phase of the redevelopment project: a commercial plaza featuring local businesses.
