by Sarah Hall
for The Beacon

ARCHITECT TOM ROGERS OF SMITHGROUP, the firm overseeing development of a master Sheboygan Waterfront and Marina Revitalization Project plan, answered questions as kickoff event participants both offered their own ideas on notes stuck onto poster boards and took in what others had to say. — Beacon photo by Sarah Hall

If the overwhelming turnout at the first public meeting for the $12 million Sheboygan Waterfront and Marina Revitalization Project was any indication, interest is surging as strong as the spring surf.

So many people had arrived just before the April 30 “listening session” at Mead Public Library’s Rocca Room that they not only packed it shoulder to shoulder, but jammed the adjacent lobby as well.

At least 150 attendees filed past large poster boards posing questions about their connection to the waterfront and Deland Park, their ideas for new activities and improvements and their insights as to what is not working now, and then jotted down their feedback on multicolored Post-It notes that soon covered all available white space.

Ideas offered were diverse and ranged from adding a lakefront restaurant, a beachside trail, a dinner cruise, a public pool and a food truck court, to improving security and restroom facilities and upgrading the public launch and opportunities for water sports such as kayaking and surfing. Making the waterfront more fun and accessible seemed to be a recurring theme.

Many participants seemed puzzled by the somewhat unusual meeting format and asked for more background and information on the project, so its leaders accommodated with brief remarks.

Sheboygan City Administrator Casey Bradley explained that the city had sought requests for proposals “to try to reimagine what the lakefront could look like and how the public could better utilize it,” and engaged with SmithGroup, a national architectural firm, to lead the planning process.

Previously, the mayor’s office had last November announced plans to begin a phased-in, multi-year project to revitalize the lakefront and marina.

“Aging infrastructure and recurring annual damage to docks have necessitated significant capital reinvestment in the marina facility,” the announcement stated. “Estimates indicate an investment requirement of $11 to $13 million to sustain marina operations while maintaining 250 slips. The Harbor Centre Marina, since its inception in 1993, has faced challenges in meeting revenue projections and demand, making it a fiscal burden for taxpayers. In a proactive move, the city will collaborate with a consultant to envision a brighter future for the marina and lakefront area.”

TURNOUT AT THE FIRST PUBLIC MEETING on the Sheboygan Waterfront and Marina Revitalization Project was so great that attendees waited in long lines to share their feedback, jotted on sticky notes, to various questions printed on poster boards that were rimming Mead Public Library’s Rocca Room. — Beacon photo by Sarah Hall

In line with this approach and anticipated changes, the Sheboygan City Council had already decided last year not to renew its marina management agreement with F3 Marine. Some marina amenities have closed as a new plan unfolds.

In February, the City Council approved a $245,000 contract with SmithGroup to develop “a master plan to guide modifications to Deland Park, Harbor Centre Marina and the adjacent waterfront that will provide a greater range of recreation opportunities more inclusive to local residents, enhance connectivity along the waterfront and downtown, and explore development opportunities on the former armory site and adjacent parcel. The goal of the master plan is to create to explore opportunities to enhance the quality of life in Sheboygan and increase access to and use of the waterfront.”

Bradley told the crowd at the kickoff gathering that a series of meetings and events will follow with both the broader public and specific stakeholders, such as the boating community and those involved with the lakefront YMCA.

“This is only the first step in our planning process,” said Tom Rogers, one of four SmithGroup architects running the meeting. “As designers, we try to come in without a preconceived notion about what needs to be here and to listen first to the community to understand what they want and what they need, what’s working well and what needs to be improved. We’re here tonight really just to listen and ask questions about how things are going and help everybody dream big about what might be here in the future.”

“We are so excited about the turnout,” he added. “It’s great to see how much you care about the waterfront, your open space and your community.”

“We have also put together a website and online survey if you want to give us additional input,” Rogers noted. “All the feedback we get tonight, we are going to post online… then we’ll be back in the summer to do a workshop and start to develop design alternatives.”

To take the initial project survey, visit https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7806765/Sheboygan-Waterfront-and-Marina-Listening-Session

For information and background on the project, visit https://sheboygan-waterfront-and-marina-smithgroup.hub.arcgis.com/