NEWS RELEASES
Eagle Tower Among Upgrades At Aging Wisconsin Park
Editor's Note: This news item was retrieved and first published through Wisconsin DNR's website.
FISH CREEK, Wis. - Wisconsin State Parks announced major improvements to Peninsula State Park expected to cost some $15 million. The project includes a new, accessible Eagle Tower to replace the original 84-year-old structure which closed in 2015 due to poor condition. Other improvements include major facility repairs and upgrades, 23 more campsites with electricity, enhanced camping pads at 450 campsites, a new shower building, and repair of the wastewater treatment system. The Sunset Bike Trail will be renovated and park roads repaved, as will roads leading into the park. In addition, Northern Sky Theater is funding improvements to the park's amphitheater, which they lease for summer performances. Also, the Peninsula Golf Association replaced the golf course irrigation system at the park’s golf course.
The original facilities and infrastructure at Peninsula State Park date back to well before the 1950s. Funds for improvements to the park come from a variety of sources including the State Building Commission and The Friends of Peninsula Park, which raised $750,000 in private donations toward the new Eagle Tower and an additional $360,000 for an expanded nature center. "This is great news for the park and the more than 1 million people who visit it each year," Ben Bergey, DNR Wisconsin State Parks Director, said in a news release. "Peninsula State Park is the most heavily used camping park and second behind Devil's Lake for total annual visitors."