Updated Bay Beach plan eliminates wildlife viewing platform, expands shoreline trail

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The planned wildlife viewing platform at Bay Beach Amusement Park is being removed from a federal grant project after construction bids came in far above budget, shifting the full $2.4 million award instead to a significantly expanded shoreline trail. The City of Green Bay received a $2.4 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for shoreline improvements at Bay Beach. The original scope included $1.4 million for construction of a 420-foot wildlife viewing platform and $1 million for a 950-linear-foot shoreline trail behind the main pavilion. After the city bid out the wildlife viewing platform project, the low bid was 'dramatically over the allocated budget.' City staff reviewed options with the EPA, noting that each option would affect the grant scope of work or require additional grant money. The EPA decided to amend the grant to eliminate the wildlife viewing platform from the grant-funded scope and dedicate the full $2.4 million to construction of a public shoreline walk from the east property line to the west property line. With the amendment, the shoreline trail would expand from about 950 linear feet to approximately 3,700 linear feet, about three to four times the length of the original funded trail, according to city documents. The city says the amendment aligns with shoreline trail recommendations in the Bay Beach Masterplan and would allow future expansion of the Bay Beach trail to the South Bay Marina and/or the Wildlife Sanctuary. The proposed trail modifications include relocating fencing behind the Giant Slide and Zippin Pippin and converting maintenance-only areas into public access areas. City staff says it supports the grant amendment, according to city documents. If the revised scope of work is approved, the city says it is unlikely the wildlife viewing platform or a swimming beach will be constructed because of extremely high construction costs for those amenities and the need to prioritize and fund other basic maintenance needs throughout the park. The grant amendment would fund 100% of the shoreline walk installation cost, up to $2.4 million, with no required match. However, the city will need to hire a consultant to create engineered construction bid documents for the proposed trail alignment because the grant will not fund engineering costs. The city said funding for the consultant would come from other donations or the Bay Beach Development account, and the consultant hiring would be brought to a future parks committee for consideration and approval. City staff also plans to prepare a five-year capital improvement plan specific to Bay Beach Amusement Park and include it in the citywide five-year capital improvement plan for discussion and approval later this fall, according to city documents. The city's parks committee will take up the updated plan on Wednesday with the full city council likely taking a vote at its next meeting.