Phase I Campaign – COMPLETED!
We’re delighted to announce that we completed the acquisition of the Sandpiper Restaurant property on Monday, October 31.
Earlier this year, the property was identified as the future site for our new Interpretive Center. Located at the corner of Hwy 57 and rustic Ridges Road, the new building forms the centerpiece of an expanded vision for the Sanctuary which includes not only the Interpretive Center, but also the development of programs, media, trail systems, and other site improvements which will enhance the visitor experience, protect the core of The Ridges and help to tell our story in a meaningful way.
Click on the links below to view conceptual designs.
The property acquisition marks the end of the first key phase of fundraising. Thanks to the enthusiastic support from members throughout the county and from our community, we now have an unprecedented opportunity to advance the vision of our founders.
As we approach our 75th anniversary, our focus will shift to the next phase of the campaign — funding for the trail systems and boardwalk , restoration of the Lower Range Light, demolition of the existing building and the development of interpretive media.
Donations can be mailed to The Ridges Sanctuary, PO Box 152, Baileys Harbor, WI 54202. Or, if you wish, donations can be made online at http://RidgesSanctuary.org/donations.aspx.Choose Phase II – Site Improvement and Sandpiper Site Preparation.
The Vision
The Ridges’ Board has undertaken a critical project which will renew and expand our commitment to land preservation, education and research – to purchase the adjacent Sandpiper Restaurant property (located on the corner of highway 57 & Ridges Road) as the site to build The Ridges Sanctuary’s Interpretive Center.
• The Ridges Sanctuary’s Interpretive Center
Creates a highly visible entrance to the Sanctuary, orients visitors to the site and its importance, and places The Ridges’ story into the greater Door County context, providing “A Portal to the Peninsula”.
Community Connections (pdf 914 Kb) • Site design (pdf 3.24Mb) • Indoor Exhibits (pdf 1.397 Mb) • Gateway (pdf 621 Kb)
• Hidden Brook Trail, a handicapped accessible interpretive trail loop (from the new interpretive center)
Provides a sensory experience that focuses on the mystery, variety and beauty of the site: sunny swales with long views, dark, cool cedar woods (the “Canadian Carpet” as Virginia Eifert called it). This new boardwalk will be a “work of art” which captures the imagination and is accessible to everyone, regardless of age or ability.
Hidden Brook Trail (pdf 1.063)
• The Range Light 40, the original flower sanctuary
The living sanctuary, symbolizing what people can do to preserve natural places of exquisite beauty and complexity. Building the interpretive center in town and connecting to the Sanctuary through the new trail system protects the “heart” of the Sanctuary, the most biologically sensitive area and the original forty acres.
Range Light 40 (pdf 234 Kb)
• The Range Lights
Restoring and interpreting the Range Lights creates a tangible human connection to the history of Baileys Harbor and the “Range Light 40″ story..
Range Lights (pdf 1.34 Mb)
• The Log Cabins
Preserves the solitude of the Sanctuary and provides a natural “back door” to The Ridges. Members and volunteers can enter at any time, participate in programs, or gather around the fire ring for seasonal events.
Historic cabins (pdf 671 Kb)
• The Ridges’ Discovery Trail
West of State Highway 57, The Ridges owns 160-acres that protects surface and ground water draining into the swales. This landscape is not as sensitive as the “heart” of the Sanctuary and offers a unique opportunity to create new trails for families to explore, discover, and create their own connections to the natural world…a never-ending natural treasure hunt.
Discovery Trail (pdf 219 Kb)
