Parks

THE FOLLOWING PUBLIC PARKS ARE AVAILABLE FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT
IN THE VILLAGE OF SISTER BAY:

BEACH PARK/HENDRICKSON PARK - These adjoining parks are located in downtown Sister Bay and afford a spectacular view of the bay. During the summer months "Concerts In The Park" occur on Wednesdays at 3:00 P.M. A swimming beach is available, and amenities include a gazebo, restrooms, playground equipment, picnic tables and benches, and charcoal grills. The "Concerts In The Park" schedule can be accessed at http://www.sisterbayconcerts.com/ .

MARINA PARK - Marina Park is adjacent to the Village's Marina. Amenities include grills and picnic tables. Marina Park also affords a spectacular view of the bay as well as the Marina.

GATEWAY PARK - The Sister Bay Advancement Association Information Booth, a restored log cabin schoolhouse which was built in 1866, is situated in Gateway Park, which is located on Gateway Drive at the south entrance to the Village. Restrooms are available. The Information Booth is staffed from summer through fall, and is an invaluable resource for visitors to the area. A variety of informational brochures and maps are available.

SCHOOLHOUSE PARK - Schoolhouse Park is located atop the hill at the south entrance to the Village off of STH 57, and the old Sister Bay School is located there. For safety reasons the schoolhouse is not accessible, but Schoolhouse Park is the perfect location for a picnic or just relaxing in the shade to read a good book. There are short public walking paths in that area.

BASEBALL PARK - This is the home of the Sister Bay Bays, a local baseball team, which plays in the Door County League. Baseball Park is located on N. Highland Road. Amenties include bleachers, restrooms, and a fully stocked concession stand which is open on game days. For up-to-date Door County League statistics and a game schedule please refer to: http://doorcountybaseball.tripod.com/id2.html.

THE VILLAGE SPORTS COMPLEX - The Sports Complex is located on Autumn Court, and improvements continue to be made at that facility, as Village officials would like to see it utilized to the fullest extent. Little League and T-Ball games take place on a regular basis at Louis Michael Hanson Field, which is equipped with lights, and the tennis and basketball courts are available free of charge on a "first-come first-serve" basis. Volleyball nets are also available. A welcome addition to the Sports Complex are the full-size and micro soccer fields, which get a lot of use during the soccer season. A popular winter attraction at the Sports Complex is the Teresa K. Hilander Ice Skating Rink.

A complete listing of scheduled Little League and DC United soccer games and camps can be found on the Village's Sports Complex Calendar. Information regarding participation in any of the ice rink activities may be obtained by calling 920-854-7014 during the winter months. Further, complete information regarding the Northern Door Broomball League can be accessed at www.dcbroomball.com.

It is possible to reserve some areas of the previously mentioned parks for special events. Since the Sports Complex is getting a lot of use it is highly recommended that anyone wishing to utilize it check on field availability well in advance of any scheduled activities. For complete reservation information please contact the employees in the Village Administration Office at 920-854-4118.

THE PARKS CREW. . .

When the first summer visitors arrive in Sister Bay they find a neat, newly-painted, shining village, with trimmed lawns and blooming flowers. The piers are in the water at the marina, ready to receive the boats, the park benches and picnic tables have been refinished, landscaping has been freshened up, and there is a definite sense of enchantment. One almost gets the impression that a long list of chores have magically been completed, and the only thing left to do is relax and have fun.

The "locals" will tell you that behind that well-groomed appearance is the hard work of the "Village Crew", the little, (three-man) group who not only deal with winter's snow and ice, but paint, scrub, repair, plant, and mow.

Leader of the crew is Steve Mann, a life-long resident of Sister Bay who has run the buildings and grounds work force since 1979.

What is it that keeps Mann smiling? "The people," he says. "Both the summer folks and the year-round ones are happy to be here, and that happiness is catching." We think that his own smile is part of the Village aura that makes us all glad to be here.

Mann lives on Old Stage Road with his wife, Debbie and their two children.

For Jim Hirschmiller and Joe Felhofer a lot of the charm of the job is its variety. "We are marina people in the morning, grounds-keepers at midday, and repair crew in the afternoon," said Hirschmiller.

Sometimes there is a little too much variety, Mann reminisces, like the time one of the docks floated off during a windy night. "I like hunting and fishing as much as any man" he chuckled, "but a two-ton pier is a little much."

Hirschmiller lives on Europe Bay Road with his wife, Judith.

Felhofer lives in Institute with his wife, Christie, and daughter Terre.