Even if the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration opts to go elsewhere with its potential Green Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) Visitor Center, you will still see the City of Sturgeon Bay try to make the most out of the work it has put in so far. After months of work identifying sites and putting their best pitch forward to NOAA and UW-Green Bay officials, the Sturgeon Bay Common Council approved its prospectus document in May. The prospectus showed six potential sites for the visitor center. It also featured the $500,000 already committed to a future visitor center through the NERR Startup Fund at the Door County Community Foundation. The city received two dozen letters of support for their bid, ranging from local municipalities and school districts to business owners and private citizens. Sturgeon Bay Mayor David Ward is proud and confident that their bid will prevail but added that he still wanted a Plan B just in case NOAA and UW-Green Bay officials go a different direction.
Sturgeon Bay is competing with Green Bay and Marinette as a possible location for a visitor center for the Green Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Ward says he has no indication of when a decision will be made, saying only that they seem to be in a holding pattern. Ward says he is proud of how the city has been able to find public uses for its waterfront properties after being privately held for so long. One of the ideas will extend a trail along the water toward the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal and create a connection with the Ice Age Trail.
