AMENITIES

Peterson Park provides a wealth of opportunities to enjoy the natural beauty that Door County has to offer. Beyond the ability to exercise, children can run and jump and swing, but more importantly, they can learn basic social skills, be creative and use their powers of imagination during play. Individuals or families of any age can also stay healthy and exercise anytime. The park is easily accessed from the YMCA parking lot, along 19th Place and at the intersection of Iowa Street and 19th Avenue.

Park features currently include:

• KaBoom! Playground: Kaboom!, a national non-profit, partnered with Door County youth in 2015 to design and install a variety of playground equipment that borders 19th Place. The project received a generous donation from Baylake Bank and other Y volunteers assisted with the installation: a community-wide effort. 
• Bathrooms: conveniently located next to the Kaboom! playground and cleaned daily.
• Pavilion: located in close proximity to the playground and a great spot for lunch, picnics or parties.
• Amphitheater: multiple seating levels and can accommodate presentations, exercise classes, wedding, recitals and other events.
• Running/Walking Paths: three paved paths of varying lengths allow walkers and runners to safely exercise. Click for a printable/downloadable trail map.
• Sports Fields: four natural grass sports fields allow for multiple events and groups.
• Exercise Equipment: a variety of Greenfields Outdoor Fitness body-weight equipment is spaced throughout the park and is easily accessible via the walking loops:

  • Four-person leg press | learn more

  • Three-person static combo | learn more

  • Two-person cross country ski | learn more

  • Four-person twisting station | learn more

  • Four-person lower body combo | learn more

  • Two-person air walker | learn more

  • Two-person combo lat pull (learn more) and vertical press (learn more)

  • Two-person accessible chest press | learn more

• Prairie Gardens/Natural Area: .75 acre diverse garden of small and tallgrass prairies and associated flowers that are great for pollinators and butterflies. There is also a border of over 65 trees around the park that attract a diverse range of birds and several nesting boxes that attract nesting bluebirds, tree swallows, black-capped chickadees and common wrens. The prairie garden not only provides unique prairie plant views that changes with the seasons, but it is also an educational opportunity for youth and adults alike.

September 7, 2021 Update

Mark Holey worked with Julie Hein of Lakeledge Naturalist to finalize installation of informational signs around the Peterson Park prairie garden. The full-color signs provide illustrations and descriptions of plants and flowers featured in the garden, and they also feature interactive QR tags that visitors can scan with a QR-code reader (available on any common smart phone) to learn even more about the various plants and flowers featured.

September 21, 2021 Update

Mark Holey and Sue Kunz, current president of the Door County Master Gardeners, held a tour of the prairie garden on Saturday, September 18 with approximately 25 individuals participating. Part of the tour focused on the approach currently being used to control invasive species, and a call to action was announced seeking interested individuals who would like to assist with the Y garden. To facilitate in promoting the call to action, volunteers who assist in the prairie garden can receive education credit toward the annual minimum credits required to be a master gardener.