You will not see shovels yet, but one hurdle was cleared on Tuesday en route to reimagining the future of athletics and outdoor recreation in Sturgeon Bay.

The Sturgeon Bay Common Council unanimously approved a Joint Parks and Recreation Committee and Board recommendation to move forward with the master planning of the Memorial Field Outdoor Athletic Complex project, which is located across the street from Sturgeon Bay High School. The plan calls for more than just new baseball, softball, and football fields for Sturgeon Bay High School students. The public-private partnership will also see pickleball courts, a fitness circuit, multi-use trails, pavilions, and more dot the property with parcels owned by the city and the school district. City Administrator Josh Van Lieshout said last week that the plan was ambitious, but checks off many boxes for residents who took surveys and attended open houses about the project. City Mayor David Ward believes the project will help attract families to the area as the project begins to take shape.

Ward believes they could begin engineering work in 2026, with construction starting in 2027 or 2028.