News photo by Josh Jambor Construction continues on the new restroom and pavilion at Bay View Park in Alpena. City Engineer Steve Shultz said the bathrooms and parking lot are anticipated to be open for use by July 4.

ALPENA – On Monday, the Alpena Municipal Council voted to authorize a change order for the ongoing restroom and pavilion project at Bay View Park. The change order was for $47,500 and will address unsuitable soils and related site improvements.

City Engineer Steve Shultz detailed the adjustments in a June 11 memorandum to Council. The change order covers earth extraction, sand subbase installation and relocation of a water service line tied to the Kiwanis Kiddie Park fountain.

During construction, crews discovered unsuitable soils under the new restrooms that required remediation so the foundation will be stable.

Deficient materials were removed and replaced with clean sand. The water service relocation allows the fountain system to be winterized from the new building’s mechanical area.

Shultz also recommended using remaining American Rescue Plan Act funds to resurface the adjacent Prentiss Street parking lot between the unfinished pavilion and the Alpena Yacht Club. The city received a quote from Meridian Contracting for $47,500 to complete the project.

“In this case there is no concrete underneath so it’s just milling up the existing pavement and regrading, reshaping, and paving,” Shultz said.

The adjustments bring the total project cost to approximately $887,243. According to previous reporting from The News in October of 2024, the original contract with Meridian was $839,743.

The project, years in the making, adds badly needed bathrooms near the band shell and Kiwanis Kiddie Park at one of Alpena’s largest and most popular waterfront parks.

It includes a modern family restroom building with an attached pavilion-style roof, new sidewalks, lighting and other amenities designed to match successful upgrades at Starlite Beach and the Woodward Avenue trailhead.

Council approval allows Meridian to finalize soil remediation, water service work and parking lot improvements. Shultz said the additional parking lot work should not cause delays.

“Adding the parking lot should not lengthen the project. The contractor anticipates that the bathrooms and parking lot will be open for use by July 4. There may be some additional clean-up and restoration after that, but everything will be open for use,” Shultz said.

The facility addresses a longtime need for better public restrooms in a high-traffic area adjacent to the Municipal Small Boat Harbor, bandshell events and recreational spaces that draw residents and tourists year-round. Portable toilets have served the area for years while the project moved forward.

Funding came from a $300,000 Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grant, nearly $1 million from a Community Development Block Grant, along with other city and ARPA money.

Bay View Park serves as a key community anchor along Lake Huron, hosting concerts, picnics, shoreline activities and events tied to summer tourism initiatives such as the Alpena 250 celebration. The completed restroom and pavilion will significantly enhance visitor experience and support broader park improvements, including the nearby Bay View Sportsplex with new courts and a nearly completed courts pavilion.