The Door County YMCA announced today a new community playground will be built early this summer directly north of the Sturgeon Bay Y Program Center in YMCA Peterson Park. The Door County YMCA will partner with KaBOOM!, a national non-profit dedicated to bringing balanced and active play into the daily lives of all kids, particularly those growing up in poverty in America.
Planning for the playground will begin in late winter when the KaBOOM! team will host a Design Day event during which members of the community – from adults to children – will gather to develop the theme for the playground. Kids will put crayons to paper and draw their dream playground. Elements from their drawings will be incorporated into the final design of the playground that will be built in June with the help of 200 community volunteers who will join together to build the playground in a single day. Design Day is also the first meeting for the playground committee that will determine how best to create and catalyze the new playspace so that the kids can get the balanced and active play they need to thrive.
Primary funding for the playground will be provided by a special gift from Baylake Bank. “The Peterson family has a long and significant history with our Bank, and their philanthropic example and passion for children and families has helped to make Sturgeon Bay and Door County a great place to live, “ said Robert J. Cera, President and CEO of Baylake Bank. “We believe that this contribution is a strong example of our commitment to this community and the individuals and families we serve each day” Cera added. An additional gift to assist with the completion of the $100,000 playground project was provided by Errico and Patrizia Auricchio, longtime friend and neighbors of the Petersons. The Raibrook Foundation will also provide support for the playground project.
The Baylake Bank Playground will face 19th Place and is part of a master plan for the ten acre Peterson Park. A public restroom, made possible with the assistance of the Raibrook Foundation, is currently under construction and will serve the park area.
Initial improvements to the property also include the installation of a three quarter of mile of walking path, a small amphitheater for youth programming and exercise programs, an additional sports field and a prairie garden area at the north end of the property. Future improvements, to be made as funding is available, will include a multipurpose sports court, sand volleyball courts and splash pad. A program to honor or memorialize friends and families with trees and park benches will be announced this spring.
“The YMCA is pleased to be able to provide this unique public space for our community,” said YMCA CEO Tom Beerntsen. “This park is another extraordinary testimony to the generosity of the Peterson family. The willingness of Baylake Bank, the Raibrook Foundation and the Auricchio family to support this special community project is greatly appreciated. I look forward to joining together with our volunteers this June to construct a playground that will be a gift to our community,” Beerntsen concluded.
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About KaBOOM!
KaBOOM! is the national non-profit dedicated to bringing balanced and active play into the daily lives of all kids, particularly those growing up in poverty in America. Since 1996, KaBOOM! has collaborated with partners to build, open or improve nearly 16,000 playgrounds, engaged more than one million volunteers and served 7.4 million children. KaBOOM! creates great places to play, inspires communities to promote and support play, and works to drive the national discussion about the importance of play in fostering healthy lives and communities. To learn why #playmatters: visit kaboom.org or join the conversation attwitter.com/kaboom or facebook.com/kaboom.
