LONE TREE, Colo. — As South Suburban Parks and Recreation considers significant renovations to Sweetwater Park in Lone Tree, there is some pushback with what those changes could look like.

For the last few months, officials have been asking the public for thoughts on how to update the 32-acre park, which has been open since 1987, along the Willow Creek Regional Trail. Friday is the deadline for public comment.

▶️ WATCH: Denver7's Tyler Melito spent the day in Lone Tree talking with community members about possible changes to Sweetwater Park

Park-goers sound off on possible changes to Lone Tree's Sweetwater Park

Denver7's Tyler Melito spent the day Friday learning more about what could be in store for the park’s future and why some frequent visitors say the park is perfect the way it is.

Melissa Reese-Thacker, director of Planning for South Suburban Parks and Rec, said the intention is to make the park more user-friendly.

"We have the opportunity to look at the park as a comprehensive whole, and that's where we're coming to the community saying, 'This park's been here since 1987, is it time to make some significant renovations to the park?'" Reese-Thacker explained.

Upgrades could include improvements to the playground, shade areas, and natural trails.

One other major change would be adding parking.

That was an option that some community members have zeroed in on.

Take for example this post on Nextdoor, where user J.L. wrote, in part, on April 18: "While we support needed improvements like a restroom and updated playground, we do NOT support adding a parking lot. A better solution is to use and designate the existing parking spaces already near the park. Our goal is to protect Sweetwater Park as the natural, peaceful space it is today—not turn it into a high-traffic destination."

All three concepts — presented to the public include at least 30 designated parking spaces.

"This is a community park. It's not a neighborhood park. It does serve a larger area. We're serving Lone Tree residents and incorporated Douglas County residents and beyond," Reese-Thacker detailed.

Reese-Thacker emphasized that the natural environment remains a priority.

"It was never the intent to come in and scrape the land, make a flat, playable park. We're not looking to build a sports complex here. That's just not realistic," Reese-Thacker said. "We have corridors that are used for wildlife that we're assessing. We have natural vegetation, some that's in a better condition than other areas, and so how do we bring the vegetation back into a more natural state."

Resident Mike Carter told Denver7 that he has depended on Sweetwater Park as his escape for roughly 30 years.

"I come here to get away. I like how it's far enough away that I don't feel like I'm on top of people, but it's also close enough to my house that I get here in two, three minutes," Carter said.

It is a place that holds a very special place in his heart.

"I remember walking through here when I was going over to the library down the street, spending my summers, you know, walking through the creek and having to run over this creek when the water was too high, being worried I was gonna fall into it, you know, as a little kid," Carter said.

Carter is opposed to the addition of a parking lot, saying it would also take away from wildlife.

"I live maybe about 5-10 minutes away. I still see coyotes, I still see wildlife — which I don't enjoy seeing around the neighborhood with my dog or with little kids. But there's still the beauty to it that if we build a parking lot, this is where they're living at night," Carter detailed. "This is where they're coming to stay. That is just going to mess up with this environment even more, which we've already taken so much from them with us, building homes for us."