Madison Reporter

Representative Joel Kitchens (R-Sturgeon Bay) and Senator Robert Cowles (R-Green Bay) issued a joint statement following their recent tour of Peninsula State Park in Door County. The visit was conducted to evaluate the park's latest facility upgrades alongside Department of Natural Resources staff.

"Our area is home to five different state parks; I am lucky to represent more state parks than any other member of the State Assembly," Representative Kitchens said. "In the last three state budgets, I have worked with State Senator Rob Cowles of Allouez to use unallocated funding from the Knowles Nelson fund to upgrade water and wastewater facilities at parks throughout the state, including all of ours in Door County. It’s great to see Peninsula State Park getting these upgrades so it can continue to be a world-class destination."

"Wisconsin’s state parks have tremendous value to the citizens of our state, and bring in millions of tourism dollars every year to support our local economies," Senator Cowles stated. "I’m greatly encouraged by the new developments, supported by bipartisan investments from the Legislature that Representative Kitchens and I saw last Tuesday at Peninsula State Park – one of our largest and most scenic parks. I’m sure that they will help generations of families continue to make memories in the outdoors for years to come. My thanks go out to Steve Schmelzer and the State Parks team from the Department Natural of Resources team for graciously showing us these new water infrastructure facility improvements."

Peninsula State Park and Wisconsin's broader State Parks System have received substantial bipartisan legislative support in recent years. Initiatives led by Representative Kitchens and Senator Cowles in 2017, 2019, and 2021 resulted in a combined $15 million investment into Wisconsin’s state parks. This amount is further supplemented by nearly $50 million allocated through the 2023-2025 State Budget. Of this budget, $3.5 million has been designated for renovations at Peninsula Park, including enhancements to its water quality and updates to restroom and shower facilities. An additional $30 million has been reserved for general maintenance across all parks.