Parks

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

WATERFRONT PARK - Waterfront Park is located in downtown Sister Bay and affords 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, charcoal grills, and a "quite craft" launch area. Waterfront Park was recently expanded and the Village has now created public access to 1,936 linear feet of waterfront property, which makes it the largest expanse of any such property in Northern Door.

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.

THE VILLAGE SPORTS COMPLEX - The Sports Complex is located on Autumn Court. 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, the Sister Bay Bays now call the newly created, fully equipped baseball field and pavilion "home", and the tennis and basketball courts are available free of charge on a "first-come first-serve" basis. Volleyball nets are also available. Welcome additions to the Sports Complex are the full-size and micro soccer fields, which get a lot of use during the soccer season as well as the newly created skateboard park. A complete listing of Little League, Sister Bay Bays and DC United soccer games and camps can be found on the Village Hall and Parks Calendar.

A popular winter attraction at the Sports Complex is the Teresa K. Hilander Ice Skating Rink. Rental skates and concessions are available, and an attendant will be on duty whenever the rink is open. The rink hours are as follows:

Mondays through Fridays - 4:00 P.M. - 9:00 P.M.
Saturdays and Sundays - 10:00 A.M. - 9:00 P.M.
(WEATHER PERMITTING)

Broomball games take place on a regular basis on Wednesday nights at the ice rink, and complete information regarding the Northern Door Broomball League can be accessed at www.dcbroomball.com. Information regarding participation in any other ice rink activities may be obtained by calling 920-854-7014.

THE SISTER BAY DOG PARK - The Sister Bay Dog Park is located adjacent to the Sports Complex on Autumn Court. The 200' X 300' grassy area is entirely fenced in and is equipped with picnic tables and "mutt mitts". All are welcome and encouraged to bring their dogs to Sister Bay to romp, play, socialize and meet new friends in a safe, comfortable environment. There is no fee for the use of the dog park.

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.