October 19, 2020

Panoway on Wayzata Bay Phase One is officially complete

Last month, phase one of the Panoway on Wayzata Bay initiative was officially completed!

Upgrades to downtown Wayzata and its lakefront included reconstructing Lake Street from Barry Avenue to Broadway Avenue for greater pedestrian and bicyclist ease; replacing the existing surface parking lot at Lake Street with a beautiful, multi-use Plaza Park near the lakefront; and extending the Dakota Rail Regional Trail safely across Ferndale Road to Broadway Avenue.

From making our city’s iconic Lake Street and its businesses more accessible and pedestrian-friendly, to creating greater public access to downtown’s Lake Minnetonka shoreline, to upgrading storm sewer systems, railroad crossings, sidewalks and the water main, the completion of this phase is an important first step in enhancing and preserving the lakefront experience for generations to come.

Thank you to community members for your patience, and thank you to the many experts and project collaborators who helped make the Panoway vision a reality! To celebrate this milestone, the Wayzata Conservancy brought together residents, community and business leaders, and donors for a virtual ribbon cutting. Check it out!

Future Panoway projects receive state funding

The State of Minnesota last week passed an infrastructure spending bill, which invests $1.9 billion in many higher education, transportation, water infrastructure, economic development and capital projects. In the bill, the City of Wayzata received $4 million for future Panoway on Wayzata Bay projects.

Panoway on Wayzata Bay is an important initiative for our community that is providing greater public access to the lake, improving the lakeside ecosystem and keeping our downtown commerce vibrant. Future projects include:

Upgrading and renovating Depot Park to make it more accessible and inviting.
Creating an Eco Park that will restore the vital marshline along Lake Minnetonka and improve water quality.
Renovating the historic Section Foreman House to create a community room and an interactive environmental learning center.
Developing a new lakeside boardwalk that will stretch from the Historic Section Foreman House to the Depot and feature two lakeside overlook terraces, creating a beautiful way for the community to connect with the lake.

In addition to funding from the State, City and Three Rivers Park District, the Wayzata Conservancy is continuing to raise private funds for the project. The City and Conservancy will share more information about the timing of upcoming projects in the near future.

Proposed Panoway on Wayzata Bay boardwalk

www.NavigateWayzata.com