A new master plan for Badger Park lays out what neighbors and the City of Green Bay hope to change once funding for the improvements becomes available. The Badger Park Master Plan was approved by City Council this week. The plan includes $1.65 million in renovations, but the City does not have the funding currently. The parks department says they'll look at grants and community fundraisers as possible ways to cover the cost. The City already has new playground equipment ready to install, but there is no timeline on when the plan will be completed.Tucked away in the Badger Tracks Neighborhood near Shawano Avenue, is Badger Park."Most people don't even know that there's a park there," Michelle Reinhard, president of the Badger Tracks Neighborhood Association, said.Reinhard has lived in the neighborhood most her life."I really do believe if we can improve that park, open that park up, and really get it used a lot, I think that would raise property values, and I think that would change the whole neighborhood, I really do," she said.The neighborhood association formed less than a year ago, but Reinhard has pushed for Badger Park improvements for a while."It's got so much potential," she said.This week, the Green Bay City Council approved a master plan for the park."Weve never had a master plan for that park developed," Dan Ditscheit, Green Bay Parks director, said.The plan includes $1,650,000 in improvements; including a new storm water management area, regrading the soccer field, a bike skills course, a shelter with bathrooms, walking paths and a new park sign.The plan also includes new playground equipment, which the parks department has already purchased.The City also plans to connect the park to a city-owned parking lot on Shawano Avenue by taking out trees.With that, now we have a direct connection into the park from Shawano Avenue, which is going to make it more accessible to the public," Ditscheit said. Ditscheit says the master plan is not a purchase the city will now begin exploring different funding options.At this point, we dont know where the funding is going to come- one way is the city can Bond for it, but we can also look at grants, we can look at donations," he said. "There is no commitment that were going to build out the entire park Master Plan in the next number of years. Im not able to commit to that. All I am able to say is this is the vision of the park, and over time well get to that vision, hopefully, as funding becomes available.Reinhard says she hopes to spread awareness, both for the park improvements, and the neighborhood association.Were very excited we know its going to take a long time to see the changes we hope to see in the park, but the fact that were already seeing some is exciting," she said. "Its a very expensive, but worthwhile project that we hope to help raise money for. ...read more read less