GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — Several new additions are in the works for Green Bay's Bay Beach Amusement Park, including a wildlife pier, an accessible train and upgrades to the park's century-old dance hall.
City leaders are restoring the Bay Beach shoreline and bringing a wildlife pier to the amusement park, with construction on the 425-foot viewing platform slated to begin this fall.
"We're bringing the history back to the park," Dan Ditscheit explained.
Ditscheit, director of Green Bay Parks, Recreation and Forestry, said the pier is a nod to the park's past.
"Back in the day, there was a pier, a swimming pier, that was on the bay, so it's kind of nice being able to bring the tradition back," Ditscheit said.
A $4.2 million grant from the Environmental Protection Agency will help the city fund the project.
"People have a lot of fond memories of Bay Beach Amusement Park, and so we want to maintain that, we want to enhance that and we want to keep those memories going for future generations," Ditscheit commented.
Part of that effort includes a focus on water access for park guests. Alder Joey Prestley of Green Bay District 6 said a swimming beach remains a priority in the minds of many residents.
"Everybody wants to see a swimming beach," said Prestley. "I know that is at the top of mind for people, especially people who have been in Green Bay long enough to remember when you could swim there."
There is no timeline, though, for when a beach could return to the park.
"That's a little ways out still," Prestley said.
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In the meantime, guests this summer season will have access to a new accessible train that will shuttle visitors to and from the park's accessible playground on the west end.
"It's a bigger train with bench seating," Ditscheit noted. "We're really excited that we're able to add that feature."
Improvements to the park's century-old dance hall are also coming this year. The building, which was never winterized, will receive insulation, new windows, and heating and cooling, making it a year-round rental facility starting this summer.
"There's a vision for this place, which is really exciting," Prestley expressed. "There's a lot of exciting things in the pipeline."
While there are currently no firm plans or funding for a swimming beach at the amusement park, city leaders say it is not off the table for future conversation.
