Green Bay · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Green Bay public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
East River Optimist Park playground funding
A $50,000 Optimist Club donation and a $45,772 Gametime grant will fund a new playground at East River Optimist Park — coming at no cost to city taxpayers.
Danz Park futsal court
A worn-out tennis court at Danz Park will become a double mini-pitch futsal court — a fast, soccer-style game played on a hard court. The school district next door is excited, and the court can also host basketball and floor hockey.
Miniature train track replacement
The miniature train has been closed all season because rotted wood left the rails unsupported. New steel, wood and gravel base should get it running by next season.
Bay Beach train ride restoration
The train ride behind the pavilion was shut down all year because its wooden track supports rotted. New steel and lumber are on order, and a Friends of Bay Beach donation worth about $30,000 will pay for the grading work needed to install the new tracks.
Green Bay Conservation Corps AmeriCorps grant
GBCC needs volunteers September 12 at John Muir Park to remove buckthorn and make biochar for tree planting, and is hiring paid Fall 2026 AmeriCorps crew members to improve parks and greenways.
Rotating sculpture program expansion and new public art installations
Wisconsin Watch's Joe Timmerman is organizing a photographic installation of Green Bay residents at St. James Park on June 6, with music and community conversation.
Arts and health programming by SAGE
SAGE got about $1,250 in extra grant money for its Open Studio program and created a zine explaining how art activities support mental well-being. It also landed over $45,000 to pilot formal training for three Green Bay artists in arts and health, and is launching a countywide arts-and-health coalition on October 15.
Rotating Arts Program sculpture selection
The city is adding four new bases to its Rotating Arts Program, and the commission picked which sculptures will fill them for a two-year run. Each artist gets a $4,000 stipend funded through ARPA and city art funds, and the pick heads to the Common Council on October 6 with installs expected by November.
Bay Beach shoreline trail grant reallocation
EPA grant money originally earmarked for a wildlife viewing platform now goes fully to the shoreline trail at Bay Beach.
Path for Pause project at Harvey St. Park
The commission selected artists for a labyrinth mural and interactive sculptures at Harvey St. Park/Olde North Crossing, aimed at wellness and residents over 50. Discussion touched on AI-generated art in portfolios and how to handle the bench component.
Beaver Dam Park renaming
Neighbors want the park renamed General Douglas MacArthur Park after the adjacent closed school; residents say they already call it MacArthur Park and have no attachment to the Beaver Dam name.
Pine Street Plaza Vibrant Spaces grant
The city is applying for a Vibrant Spaces grant to build out the Pine Street Plaza project.
Heated equipment storage garage at the Park Shop
The uncovered salt and sand bunker at the Westside Garage posed safety hazards and now violates state rules requiring covered storage. A permanent fabric structure will fix it.
Lifeguard shortage at city pools
Pools open this weekend but the city is about 14 lifeguards short of its goal across three pools. Amenities might have to rotate closures daily; another training session is planned.
Rosen Family Foundation grant for Summer Parkee Program
Bay Beach Amusement Park opens this weekend with the new train ride debuting; the department is still hunting about 25 lifeguards for the pools.
Ted Fritsch Park splash pad
The splash pad at Ted Fritsch Park moved closer to reality with a $444,080 construction award.
Wildlife Sanctuary birds of prey improvements
A $348,176 contract will upgrade the birds of prey site at the Wildlife Sanctuary.
Path for Pause meditation labyrinth at Olde North Crossing Park
A $15,000 AARP Community Challenge grant will fund a meditation labyrinth with artistic stepping stones, accessible seating, and low-impact exercise equipment at Olde North Crossing Park. Up to ten local artists will be commissioned with a $5,000 budget, with installation targeted for October 2026.
Food forest harvesting ordinance amendments
The city is drafting changes to Sec. 28-3 of the municipal code to let residents harvest fruit and nuts from trees and shrubs on city park property. The language goes through the Law Department next, then back to this commission for a recommendation to the Parks Committee and City Council.
Senior accessibility and transportation
Commissioners discussed senior accessibility in parks and public spaces, noting that lack of transportation keeps seniors isolated and inactive, harming both mental and physical health. Public transit expansion was flagged as underfunded and underused.
Triangle Sports Area tubing hill safety regrade
The tubing hill gets too icy and closes often. Engineers will design a longer runout at the bottom using fill dirt, so the hill stays open more days and tubers stop safely.
Arnie Wolff Sports Complex improvements
The Green Bay Strikers soccer group can now officially fundraise for fencing, a shelter, entrance plaza work, and a playground at the soccer complex. Staff will build projects one at a time as money comes in.
Kids' Day Karnival 2026
Kids' Day and the Kiddie Karnival are being combined into one event at Bay Beach on July 30, backed by a $20,000 Children's Hospital sponsorship covering free rides, games, and entertainment.
Fruit and nut harvesting in city parks
Parks staff will work with the Sustainability Commission on code changes allowing residents to harvest fruit and nuts from city park trees.