Tim Ryan, tryan@wolfrivermedia.com
A newly formed citizens group is proposing that the Shawano Medical Center be converted into a multi-use community center after the hospital relocates later this month.
Todd Dobberstein presented the proposal to the Shawano Common Council on Wednesday during the public comment portion of the meeting.
There was no discussion of the idea by city officials because the item wasn’t on the agenda.
Dobberstein said he was able to put together a group of community leaders over the past week who have shown interest in a community center. He said he has also met with city administration, the park and recreation department and ThedaCare.
“We’ve got a lot of different groups together to kind of get some ideas of putting together a possible community center,” Dobberstein said.
Some of the possibilities, he said, could include meeting space for local nonprofit groups, educational space for area wellness programs, a training facility, a new indoor pool, and indoor volleyball and basketball courts.
“There are families who travel to Green Bay, to the valley to utilize facilities that we could provide here in our town,” Dobberstein said.
“We’ve got a good group of some really influential people in this community who are showing a huge interest,” he told the council. “I’m asking for a little bit of time to continue to put this together and try to show you guys we can sustain this kind of community center. It’s a beautiful facility, and I think we’ve got some great opportunities to use that.”
Dave Passehl said a community center could complement the Ski Sharks program that performs on the Wolf River adjacent to the hospital property. The former Wolf River Park along the waterfront is being renamed Smalley Park, and development plans for that area are being prepared by the park and recreation department.
Passehl asked the council to consider the community center and not to rush to accept any other development proposals.
“I encourage the council to not be too antsy, if you will, and to have some patience perhaps with this hospital property,” he said. “What I’m looking forward to is a little bit more time to see what this group can come up with as far as leveraging this amazing asset that’s down there.”
Passehl said that whatever goes into the hospital property would be critical to the community.
“Something that can enhance the attraction of this community to that awesome natural resource of the Wolf River would be just a great benefit to everybody,” he said. “It may not be a ton of tax dollars or tax revenue generated by doing a community center like this, but the quality of life for our community could be really enhanced.”
A proposal to locate a medical residency training facility at the hospital site fell apart after ThedaCare refused to sign onto a developer’s agreement.
The city owns the property where the original hospital is located. ThedaCare owns the property added through hospital expansions over the years.
The city has a meeting with ThedaCare regarding the hospital property scheduled for Oct. 1.