Marina Dock Age

Port Washington, Wis.-Plans to improve and expand Port Washington’s marina could be threatened following a decision by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers not to repair the marina’s crumbling breakwater, according to a June 25 article on the Web site: www.JSOnline.

“It [the breakwater] needs to be repaired or it could destroy the entire marina,” said Dennis Cherny, harbormaster. “Water is already going through the breakwall.  If chunks fall off, we could be in trouble.”

Wayne Schloop, chief of operations for the Corps’ Detroit district, said repairs on the Port Washington Marina became less of a budget priority in recent months as a commercial fishing fleet left the marina and ships no longer used the poprt to deliver coal to the We Energies generating site.

The 250 slip marina is filled each season with boaters from Illinois, Minneapolis, and other parts of Wisconsin and the Upper Midwest, said Cherny. He added that marina is a thriving attraction for boaters, fishermen and tourists.  It’s home to many events during the summer boating season.

“The marina brings in quite a few dollars to the city and is a key economic development piece just not for the city but for the surrounding area,” said Mayor Scott Huebner.  “Failure to maintain the breakwater would threaten that.”

The city’s Harbor Commission is considering looking to spend about $3.5 million on improvements to the marina, including the addition of floating docks to replace the current fixed ones.