Sister Bay Warm to Athletic Club Expansion

While there were no formal approvals, the Sister Bay Plan Commission encouraged developer Mike Tomasian to proceed with creating plans for an “adult playground” and lap pool in a vacant lot near the Country Walk Shops.

Tomasian, owner of the Twisted Tree active clothing store and soon-to-open Sister Bay Athletic Club in the Country Walk Shops, hopes the new development will fill a gap in fitness facilities in northern Door County that are open to the public through membership.

“It would be a major addition to the area,” Tomasian said. “There’s nothing like it [north of Green Bay].”

The first phase of the project on the corner of Country Walk Drive and Country Walk Lane (across the street from the former Klaud’s Kitchen) will consist of outdoor gym equipment Tomasian describes as an “adult playground” – functional fitness equipment that makes you think of a Crossfit gym or American Ninja Warrior.

The area, only available to members 18 years and older, would be fenced off and accessible with a key fob. Artificial turf and specially designed equipment should keep maintenance to a minimum. Tomasian hoped for encouragement from the commission so he could faithfully proceed with closing on the property and begin planting screening for surrounding apartments.

“I think it’s an underserved property that could be really nice,” Tomasian said.

The second phase of the project, which Tomasian doesn’t expect to begin for a few years, would consist of a two-story building with a 25-yard lap pool. The pool would consist of just a few lanes and be explicitly limited to lap swimming and aquatic fitness.

“I think you’re on the right track,” said commission chair Denise Bhirdo. But she warned the question of parking would likely come up when Tomasian returned for formal approvals.

“I don’t know how parking is going to relate,” Bhirdo said. “Parking always tends to dictate everything else.”

But the commission determined that the facility was an allowed use in that zoning district and told Tomasian to come back when his plans were more ironed out.