The recreated Shawano Recreation Center is still months from being open to the public, but plans are in the works to give the community a chance to contribute to its beauty. Interested residents can also take a sneak peek at what’s been completed so far in the year-long project that started in June 2025.
Matt Hendricks, parks and recreation director, told the Shawano Common Council on Feb. 11 that the city of Shawano is looking for artists who might want to display their art at the center. He said the request had first gone out earlier that day, and there are already people seeking to participate.
“If you are a painter or you are a woodworker or a metal worker, and you want a place to display art, we’re starting a program where we can display your artwork at the rec center,” Hendricks said. “That can be on showcase, or that can be on sale, too.”
Hendricks added that the invitation is for local artists. Tara Kelliher, aquatics and recreation manager, is spearheading the project and can be reached at 715-526-6171.
Hendricks expects that the city will be able to start offering tours of the recreation center work sometime in March.
“Obviously the building is still far from complete,” Hendricks said. “There’s not finishes like walls and trim and carpeting in the building, but it’s far enough along that you can get a sense of what is in the building and how will it flow and what it will look like, that kind of stuff.”
Dates and times have not been set, according to Hendricks, but tours will be led by staff members with significant knowledge about the project.
“People can come and be nosy and curious about what’s going on inside,” he said.
lpulaski@newmedia-wi.com
