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Whitefish Bay board hears student design and debates band shell as warming‑hut RFP moves forward
Summary
A sixth‑grade student presented design ideas for Cody Park’s warming shelter, and trustees debated whether to prioritize a multifunctional ‘Kahill‑light’ community room or a permanent band shell; staff will draft an RFP for design firms with a baseline $1.5 million CIP allocation, subject to further review and public engagement.
A sixth‑grade Whitefish Bay student presented a user‑centered design for the Cody Park warming shelter at the village board meeting on Feb. 16, prompting a broad board discussion about scope, noise, parking and the limits of a $1.5 million capital line.
Henrietta Wilson, who identified herself as a sixth‑grader at Whitefish Bay Middle School, described a design‑thinking process that included interviews with stakeholders and on‑site observation. She told the board recurring problems included single‑use bathrooms, insufficient seating, small windows that limit spectator visibility and lack of storage for skates and boots. Her recommended features included expanded ADA‑compliant bathrooms, perimeter benches with cubbies for gear, larger windows for visibility, a fireplace, upgraded electrical for concessions and a raised stage or band shell oriented to reduce impacts on nearby homes.
“Parents want to watch ice skaters and kids on the playground from inside,” Henrietta said during her presentation, outlining benches, cubbies and large windows as priorities.
Board members broadly praised the presentation but diverged on long‑term design choices. Some trustees favored a modest, multifunctional “Kahill‑light” community room that could be rented for events and generate revenue; others cautioned that a permanent band shell could invite more frequent amplified events and raise noise complaints from neighbors.
“We don’t want to build something that invites constant noise,” one trustee said, urging careful neighborhood outreach and consideration of sound‑mitigation measures. Another trustee argued the park should be used to its fullest and that a stable stage could improve event quality without necessarily increasing amplification.
Staff outlined practical constraints and next steps: the project currently carries a $1.5 million allocation in the village’s CIP for 2027, and staff recommended releasing a design‑firm RFP that would specify whether the initial scope should be a straightforward replacement, a ‘Kahill‑light’ community room or a larger, revenue‑generating facility. Trustees signaled support for moving forward with an RFP while reserving the right to refine scope and budget if initial proposals exceed $1.5 million.
The board also discussed site details — parking configuration, ADA access, orientation to minimize sound into residential areas, exterior lighting and the potential to combine the Cody and future Cahill projects under a single consultant to secure design synergies.
What’s next: staff will prepare a draft RFP and route it (likely to the public works committee) for review before release, incorporate community engagement expectations, and return to the board with consultant recommendations and concept options.
