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Source: City of Port Washington Facebook Page
Feb. 17, 2017
LET THE WORK BEGIN!
After two years of planning work and securing of necessary funds, our City of Port Washington begins work on Monday to completely transform the gateway entrance to the North breakwater! The crane is poised and ready for action!
This is a very exciting day for all City and County residents and all visitors to "Our Home Port!" It is all illustration of what we have been able to accomplish together over the past five years in repairing and stabilizing the essential infrastructure that protects our harbor, our marina, and our lakefront.
The work beginning Monday -- highlighted in the "blue dash outline" of the concept plan below -- will focus on complete reconstruction of the gateway walkway (the "hardscape"). Gone will be the 3 foot wide iron grate catwalk, and in its place will be an 8 foot wide concrete walkway. Beyond functional access for all people -- including those with physical disabilities -- we will create functional usage space for all members of our community with a viewing platform and a fishing area as park of a large "gathering area." Port Deco Divers, an outstanding City business partner, has also expressed interest in creating a safe "dive area" in the shallow, protected waters off of this section of the gateway walkway. On so many levels, this work represents yet another city investment in enhancing our 6 miles(!) of publicly accessible lakefront here in PW, from mile rock on North Beach throughout and along our harbor and marina and all the way over to South Beach!
Special thanks to Alderman Dan Becker, our Council President, and Alderman Bill Driscoll, Representative for this area of our City lakefront District, for their commitment to this great Project. From the outset of our Breakwater repair and stabilization efforts several years ago, these two gentlemen have joined Mayor Mlada, City Administrator Grams, and other key City staff in biweekly conference calls with the Army Corps of Engineers; outreach efforts to County, State and Federal officials; funding conversations with funding agencies and organizations; and concept development of the solutions we are now enacting. With their help, our City has been able to procure nearly $4 million for all of the vital repair work we are leading forward -- work that will sustain the breakwater infrastructure for another 50-100 years! Generations of City and County residents will enjoy safe access to our historic lighthouse, recreational fishing, boating, sightseeing, and more because of the work we are doing today. Our City can continue forward with a very successful Marina, public access to and along Lake Michigan, and essential lakefront development -- benefiting every single City resident! Thank you, Alderman Becker and Alderman Driscoll, for your leadership!
This is a moment of celebration for our great City of PW! Enjoy watching the progress continue with our breakwater gateway improvements -- and then get ready to enjoy them personally when the work is completed in early June!
Onward to an extraordinary 2017!
