Wenona Beach Pier, with Casino at right and Wright's Cafe, left, in background. (Photo courtesy J.R. Watson, from his book "Wenona Beach." Task Force Seeks to Re-Establish Pier, Restaurant on Saginaw Bay
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Shades of the old Wenona Beach!
Finally, after nearly half a century, the entertainment tradition of the casino and amusement park may be revived, with modern overtones like handicapped access.
Officials of the Saginaw Bay Coastal Initiative (SBCI) have scheduled a series meetings in this area to get public input and cooperation to enhance tourism and make enviriomental improvements on Saginaw Bay.
First meeting is Tuesday, Aug. 23 9-11 a.m. in the Alice and Jack Wirt Public Library community meeting room, 500 Center Ave., Bay City, sponsored by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Another meeting is slated the same day, 2:30-4:30 p.m. in the Grace A. Dow Memorial Library lounge, 1710 W. St. Andrews St., Midland, with a focus on Midland County issues.
On Aug. 24, a meeting will be held 9-11 a.m. at the Port Austin Visitor's Center, 17W. State St., Port Austin, to focus on Huron and Tuscola counties. From 2:30-4:30 p.m., a meeting will be held in the Bark Shanty Community Center, 20 N. Ridge St., Port Sanilac, to focus on Sanilac and St. Clair Counties.
A SBCI meeting is scheduled September 1st at the Pere Marquette depot in Bay City at 1 p.m. U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow will be attending along with Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Chief David White.
Focus of the meetings is the Western Lake Huron Basin (WLHB) Project Area that includes the 14 coastal counties in Michigan. This is an 8,700 square mile area with two areas of concern identified: 1-Saginaw River/Saginaw Bay; and 2-the St. Marys River at the Soo.
Problems in this area include polluted stormwater runoff, combined sewer overflows, habitat loss and natural drainage modifications, according to the Corps.
The Wenona Beach Casino and Amusement Park closed up in the mid-1960s to make way for a mobile home park. In 1969, the decrepit jackrabbit and the crumbling casino were burned by the Bangor Township Fire Department.
Since then nostalgic oldtimers have wondered how folks can have more access to the bay and perhaps enjoy dining and entertainment along the shore.
Improvement of access to the bay for tourism is only part of the mission of the project taskforce.
"The Corps of Engineers indicate they want public input on what we see as the priority problem areas and needs for Saginaw Bay," said Laura Ogar, Bay County Environmental Affairs and Community Development Director. "We have done a lot of this work to identify priority issues through the Saginaw Bay Coastal Initiative (SBCI), through the small Workgroup efforts as well as info sharing during the larger regional meetings 1-2 times a year."
According to Ms. Ogar, the greatest problem areas continue to be:
1.) Impaired beach quality;
A) beach closings due to bacteria - so we need funding for strategic source investigations and source control, keeping in mind the SBCI Combined Sewage Overflow Workgroup reviewed the data from CSO discharges and we have been able to rule out CSO's as major sources of bacteria.
B) People avoiding the beach due to heavy accumulations of muck and its associated health and safety and odors problem - so we need funding to focus on muck removal on the beaches and in the nearshore swimming zone.
C) Phragmites - the invasive weed growing 12 feet tall that blocks visual access to the bay, takes over and destroys wildlife/waterfowl habitat, and chokes off physical access to the bay- so we need funding support for treatment and control of dense stands of this invasive weed.
2) Inadequate access points to the bay;
A) We have no restaurant or bay-front pier for sitting, viewing or fishing on the bay, no handicapped access to the shoreline in our 37 miles of shoreline, so we need funding to re-establish the Wenona Park bay-front park and public promenade with a bay-front restaurant within close proximity to the Bay City urbanized area.
B) We have inadequate public access points, and we need funding to help develop the limited sites we have and for additional sites.
Enhancement and coordination of state and local tourism efforts is tasked to a new non-profit organization, MI Great Bay, Inc.
Workgroups have been formed to review alternative algae control options at the Bay City State Recreation Area, for phragmities control and for development of a Kawkawlin River restoration plan. Citizens also are working on a Cass River restoration plan.
More information is available from Ms. Ogar at ogarl@baycounty.net, 989-895-4135. ###
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shepard1 Says:
On August 23, 2011
at 06:25 PM
Wow, what an interesting and TIMELY story....you need to check out the Facebook pages 'Memories of Bay City' and 'Putting Bay City Back on the Map'. It's a treasure trove of BC memories, anecdotes and photos!
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pattiroupe Says:
On August 23, 2011
at 07:09 PM
I would love to see Bay County have an amusement park again or something like Navy Pier in Chicago. It wouldn't have to be huge - but I remember wonderful times on the bay as a child in the 50s & 60s - and I know my parents went dancing an dining at Wenona Beach. I love to visit "home" but sure wish there was more access to the beautiful Saginaw Bay in the Bay City area.
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lilblitz7 Says:
On August 23, 2011
at 08:29 PM
It's a start in the right direction. I think the best thing to come out of any of it would be to finally get serious about the issues with the bay's muck , pollution, overgrowth, and lack of public access while planning development along the shore. Not just talk about it but get busy doing something to fix it so our kids can enjoy what we have here again. It's about time for certain powers that be, who have shot down many very promising options for years to step aside for the doers and innovators. The idea of developing places like "Little Michigan" theme park, casinos, restaurants, ball diamonds and upgraded parks around here might help ease our reliance on big industries for survival (those who have helped to contaminate the water in the first place) and provide a new economic platform. We need to take a chance on creating a family oriented entertainment mecca for growth instead, for all income classes to afford and enjoy, not just a select few, including beaches. What a great way to bring jobs in for our kids just starting out, as well as for seniors and adults struggling to find any significant employment opportunities around here just to make ends meet. We have awesome potential here! What we discover researching our water here will hopefully benefit all of the great lakes. Stop building condos, create entertainment, providing jobs, attracting people, reviving BayCity.
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njackie1948 Says:
On August 24, 2011
at 10:11 AM
This is the best news this area has heard in a long time. The issues listed have been ignored for far too long and I find it hard to believe that they were not addresses long ago.
The Face Book site of Memories of Bay City should inspire many in our community who long for what was once a vibrant growing community to push forward and bring this community together as it once was. There were many many great ideas that came from this forum and I urge our "powers to be" to examine it and I challange you to not get excited of what could be here again. It is time that our children be able to remain here by choice with great employment opportunities instead of being forced to leave because of the lack of job opportunities here now. Bay County and City Hall get moveing ! |
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sheridangabriel Says:
On August 29, 2011
at 12:09 PM
This is so overdue, that it is astonishing that it was not done 30 years ago. Wenonah Beach was one of the greatest draws to the State of Michigan and literally brought millions of people to Bay County. Think of all that money lost for busineses and the tourism it could generate again. If we get people once again out onto the Bay, the clean up will have to follow, as money makers generate and cause more improvements. The Saginaw Bay is our greatest asset and the most forgotten and abused. This is a step in what should be a plan to revive the entire Wenonah Beach. We needed a trailer park like we needed snake races. Let us revive our greatest attraction with a proven way. Look to the past in design and use. The history of our area is incredible if only we would use it. Gabe Sheridan
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An Observer says:
On August 29, 2011
at 12:44 PM
Everything at Wenona Beach was a memory by the time I moved to the area. I love the stories old time Bay City residents tell and the exhibits at the Museum downtown are great. The various books with post cards and other pictures just enforce that nostalgic view.
I've long wished for more public access to the Bay, without the need to own a boat. My family and I have walked the State Park beach many times. But it's not the same. A pier and parking on the water would be great. A restaurant and related facilities would be even better. Is a restored Jackrabbit too much to ask for? |
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info Says:
On September 09, 2011
at 11:27 PM
Articles like this make life so much smipelr.
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Dave Rogers |
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