Town of Liberty Grove to Remove Waterfront Structures

Photo by Myles Dannhausen Jr.

The Town of Liberty Grove is seeking bids to remove three old structures at Mariners’ Park that were long part of fishing operations there. 

The town purchased the property in October 2018 for $1.45 million. Modest upgrades have been made to the park in the years since, including the removal of a home, and the addition of shoreline revetments and benches. Now the board is seeking bids to move or demolish the buildings at the foot of the pier. 

Mike Kahr has urged the town to preserve the structures, likening them to the historical fishing shacks on the piers at Leland, Michigan.

“The artists who go there to paint those buildings recognize the history there,” Kahr said. “It epitomizes Door County, yet we have a town board that wants to tear them down. We have to preserve some of these things. Once they’re gone, they’re gone forever.”

Parks Committee chair Cathy Ward said surveys of the buildings determined they are unsalvageable. 

“The large cinder-block building has cracks in the cinder block and walls,” she said. 

The deadline to submit bids for removal is Oct. 17, 4 pm, and bids will be opened and awarded Oct. 19. 

The Parks Committee will also install signs at Mariners’ Park to dissuade overnight campers. Ward said there have been multiple reports of illegal camping, but the park doesn’t have any posted hours or other signage. Camping is not allowed in any Liberty Grove town parks. A Mariners’ Park name sign has been ordered, and Ward said they hope to install it this fall.