A multi-year effort to transform Sugar Creek County Park in southern Door County will reach a major milestone next week with the opening of a new playground and the completion of a comprehensive park improvement project.

Door County officials will celebrate the completion of the multi-year project with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 1 p.m. Monday, June 8, at Sugar Creek County Park. Refreshments will be available from 12:30 to 2 p.m.

The project, nearly eight years in the making, grew out of discussions among Southern Door residents, county board members and Door County Parks staff about ways to improve the park while balancing recreation, environmental stewardship and community needs.

The improvements include a new playground, an accessible pavilion, an ADA-accessible grilling station, parking lot and driveway upgrades, boat launch repairs, a new entrance sign, native prairie restoration and wildlife habitat enhancements. The project also included improvements to the park's water fill site used by emergency responders and the establishment of a research partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay for stream monitoring and environmental studies.

A memorial red oak tree donated by Door County Memorial Hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic also was planted as part of the park's enhancements.

The park's new handcrafted pavilion marked the first phase of the project and was funded through a $150,000 grant from the Door County Community Foundation's Park Initiative, awarded to the Friends of Door County Parks System. Additional funding support came from the Friends of Door County Parks, the Town of Gardner and Destination Door County.

The public is invited to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony and playground opening Monday at Sugar Creek County Park. With more information available at the Destination Door County website.