Reaction positive to Titletown District design
GREEN BAY - Ann Patteson thought the Titletown District should have a sledding hill.
The Green Bay Packers listened, and then some.
"It's much more than I envisioned. It's magnificent, a sledding hill on steroids," said Patteson, a mother of three children ages 12 and younger. "It's a great opportunity for families to be outdoors, and it ties in with local initiatives to be healthy."
Patteson, chairwoman of the Green Bay/Brown County Professional Football Stadium District, made the recommendation during focus groups last fall, after the Packers announced initial plans for the 35-acre commercial, residential and recreational district immediately west of Lambeau Field in Ashwaubenon. The park and plaza will comprise 10 acres of the development.
"I have never been to a developer who donated 10 acres of their property to public use," said Michael Aubinger, Ashwaubenon village president. "There's not a child under 12 years old that isn't going to be begging their parents to take them to Titletown."
RELATED:Sledding, skating part of Titletown District fun
Ed Policy, Packers vice president and general counsel, said he appreciated that the focus groups turned their attention to nongame-day uses of the district.
The public space will consist of five components:
» A 14,000-square-foot skating pond and trail, and a 45-foot-high, 300-foot-long tubing hill.
» A full-size football field with synthetic or hybrid turf.
» A specially designed playground with football-related activities and equipment.
» A plaza adjacent to South Ridge Road, between Hinterland Brewery to the north and Lodge Kohler hotel to the south. It will include a combination of a paved area and green space. It could be used for fairs or festivals and will accommodate pop-up tents and other temporary structures.
» A tree-lined recreational strip between the skating rink and Hinterland Brewery, and another building, still to be announced, fronting Lombardi Avenue. Features under consideration include a bocce court, a shuffleboard court and outdoor ping-pong tables. Details could change, but that's the idea.
Patrick Webb, executive director of the stadium district, said he appreciates the difference between the Titletown District and New England's Patriot Place, which was the conceptual genesis for the Packers' development.
"Patriot Place is an outdoor mall. We really didn't need another outdoor mall," he said.
Green Bay Economic Development Director Kevin Vonck said the district complements efforts to make the area a more attractive place for residents, visitors and those who consider relocating here. He praised the diversity of activities in the Packers' plan.
"If we can get you to stay two days, three days, four days and there's different things to do," he said. "The skating trail is something we don't have here."
Contact rryman@greenbaypressgazette.com and follow him on Twitter @RichRymanPG, onInstagram at rrymanpgor on Facebook at Richard Ryman-Press-Gazette. Or call him at (920) 431-8342.
