BLUE MOUNDS, WI (WTAQ) - Blue Mound State Parks’ new half-million dollar shelter for skiers opened Saturday night during the park’s annual ski by candlelight event.

The shelter will give skiers and other visitors at place to warm up. It’s been in the works for more than a decade, becoming a reality through fundraising efforts conducted by the Friends of Blue Mound State Park.

About 140,000 people visit the parks each year, with 10 to 20 percent coming to ski between December and March.

The new building includes a heating and cooling system, skid-resistant floors and bathrooms.