Atwater Park Closed for Much of Summer for Upgrades

is closed to the public until at least mid-July as construction crews start work on a $800,000 project to get Shorewood's lakefront park up to par.

The park sits at East Capitol Drive and North Lake Drive and as a result of the devastating July floods and erosion of the park’s bluff, it needs to be stabilized. An access road for service and emergency vehicles needs to be re-done and construction of a new boardwalk is also part of the project.

Village Manager Chris Swartz has said the project is important to get Atwater Park and Beach back to being the gem that the public has come to expect.

Trustee Jeff Hanewell said a tentative schedule has work wrapping up mid-July, but he anticipates weather issues affecting the completion date.

Over time, portions of the Atwater Park bluff have eroded down-slope, which has resulted in accessibility concerns. The Village Board Monday awarded a contract to Marek Landscaping for $23, 552 to stabilize the bluff and establish a drainage system to help prevent future erosion.

Veit & Company Inc. will perform the rest of the construction work and was previously awarded a contract for $606,000. Veit was awarded an option in the original contract for $20,016 to remove the foundation of an old pavilion and construction of buried revetment.

In addition, Miller Engineering will provide engineering services during the project. In total, the projects will cost about $800,000. Village officials say they will use a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant of $200,000 to help finance the work.

The village also will use $140,000 in capital cash in hand and borrow the remaining $468,200.

The boardwalk will be built by K2 Structures for about $50,000. It is being funded by a Wisconsin Coastal Management Grant, the Friends of Atwater Beach and the Shorewood Foundation. Swartz said he expects the boardwalk to be open by August.

The Fourth of July and Shorewood Men's Club chicken barbecue events will still take place in the park as usual, Village President Guy Johnson said.