DNR to Hold Public Hearing on  Potawatomi Park Tower

Virtual Meeting At 4 p.m. Jan. 27

Deadline For Public Comments Is Feb. 22

Photo: DNR

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will hold a virtual public meeting and comment period regarding plans for the observation tower at Potawatomi State Park at 4 p.m. on Jan. 27.

To attend the virtual public meeting via Zoom and provide oral comments, please register in-advance here.

When registering, you will be asked to provide your name and contact information, as well as to indicate whether you wish to make an oral statement at the hearing. After registering, a confirmation email will be sent to the email address provided with instructions to join the meeting.

Registered speakers will have up to three minutes to provide verbal comments only. The department will not be accepting questions from the public.

The public is also encouraged to submit written comments regarding the observation tower by using the below survey link or regular mail. Submit electronic or hardcopy written comments by Feb. 22, 2022 to:

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

C/O Missy VanLanduyt

101 S Webster St. P.O. Box 7921 Madison, WI 53707

Email: melissa.vanlanduyt@wisconsin.gov

Survey Link

MEETING INFORMATION

WHAT: Virtual public meeting on plans for the observation tower Potawatomi State Park

WHEN: 4 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022

WHERE: Register via Zoom here

The observation tower is currently closed to the public due to safety concerns. The DNR had planned to tear down the historic structure after deeming it unsafe in 2018.  However, local citizens have been pushing the Evers’ Administration to reverse course and repair the historic 90-year-old Potawatomi State Park Observation Tower.  The campaign to save the landmark is an example of public engagement at its best.  I commend local citizens, local governments and community groups, especially the Sturgeon Bay Historical Society Foundation (SBHSF), for preserving this structure.

My goal has always been to help save this treasured landmark in a manner that preserves it for future generations and respects the history of the Potawatomi Nation. This would also be a big win for local tourism, which we all know has taken a hit from the pandemic.  This is our opportunity to make our voices heard to the Evers Administration.