Improvements to Nautical Drive took another step toward reality this week when it was announced that the City of Sturgeon Bay has been tentatively awarded a $561,684 federal Land and Water Conservation Fund grant through the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
It is the third such grant the city has received for the project this year. In February, the city celebrated receiving a $518,414 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Recreational Boating Facilities grant and a $188,000 Wisconsin Department of Transportation Harbor Assistance Program grant.
With more than $1.2 million in grants, the city is getting closer to developing the site, which will include a Sail Training Foundation building, a new E-Dock and a renovated boat ramp at the city-owned property next to the Sturgeon Bay Yacht Club. Sturgeon Bay City Administrator Josh Van Lieshout has said grants like these make projects attainable and help move them forward more quickly.
Sturgeon Bay District 4 Alderperson Spencer Gustafson shared with constituents online that the grant is still considered tentative and must go through the final review and approval process. About 20 applications statewide are vying for approximately $6.7 million in funding for public outdoor recreation projects.
The project is expected to start early next year.
