STERLING -- The State of Colorado has added a new asset to North Sterling State Park.

A new welcome center opened at the south side of the park, overlooking the shoreline.

Dave Piper said at the Grand Opening Saturday the new Visitor Center has taken a lot of planning and a lot of patience.

"The new facility has been a culmination of things that happened since about 2003. We've been pushing to try and get a new facility on the south end of the park where the majority of activities happen here," said Park Manager Dave Piper. 

The planned upgrade took longer than Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials expected, according to Piper.

"Due to some unfortunate circumstances, it didn't happen until now. But now we have a full-fledged visitors center. It's open to the public, that they can come in and do all their shopping on anything to do with Colorado Parks and Wildlife," Piper said.

The new visitor center is part of a $7 million project at North Sterling State Park. Funding for the project was financed by State funding and funding from Great Outdoors Colorado. 

The region is known for its rustic beauty, and North Sterling Reservoir has a history with boaters and fishermen. There is also a boat club adjacent to the reservoir.

"We have a 3,000 acre lake, 3,000 acres of land, 141 camp sites, and a lot of enjoyment to be done outside," he said.

Piper said Colorado State Parks has been at North Sterling Reservoir since 1992/93. 

A privately-financed project comprising what is now the North Sterling Irrigation District was conceived in 1893. Originally known as Point of Rocks Reservoir, North Sterling was constructed to supply water for the irrigation of table lands above the South Platte River drainage northeast of Sterling. 

The North Sterling Irrigation District first entered into an agreement with the former Game, Fish and Parks Division to lease the reservoir for public recreation, hunting, fishing and boating in 1958. The Colorado Division of Wildlife continued to manage North Sterling Reservoir until October 1, 1992, when Colorado Parks and Wildlife acquired the property. Colorado Parks and Wildlife manages recreation on the reservoir through a perpetual easement with North Sterling Irrigation District. An additional 2,800 acres of land support a wide variety of recreational activities