Planning underway to update a portion of Menasha's waterfront

MENASHA - As ice and snow fill the Menasha lock, planning is underway to turn a nearly two and a half acre site, adjacent to the lock, into something more.

More than 70 people shared their ideas at the Menasha Public Library Saturday.

"One of the things that the authority has always wanted to do is to open these properties up and make them into state parks," said Robert Stark.

Robert Stark is the chief executive officer of the Fox River Navigational System Authority.

The organization is in charge of 17 locks along a 39 mile stretch of the Fox River.

The open locks allow boat traffic through the area.

Some consider the area near the Menasha lock a valuable piece of public property.

"We're talking about connectivity of that site and what are the different ways or opportunities we can have that site connect better within the community and across the region," said Eric Fowle, executive director of the East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission.

While the meeting focused on the re-use of the site, the lock itself has been closed since last fall.

The closure came after an invasive species of fish, called round gobies, made their way into the Fox River.

It's still unclear if or when the Menasha lock will re-open. Some feel the lock's closure doesn't affect the overall plan for the area.

"We're looking for visionary ideas for the use of that site and we certainly hope that the lock will be operational and nothing will change with that in the future," Fowle said.

Officials say the ultimate goal is to continue to make Menasha's waterfront a place for people to enjoy.

"There's not a lot of other places where you can actually get that up close to the waterfront in the Fox Cities where you have amenities right next to that as well," said Don Merkes, Menasha mayor.

Officials say all of the ideas from Saturday's session will be compiled and presented to the public this spring.