PLOVER, WI (WSAU) — Add the Village of Plover to the list of area communities looking to take advantage of their waterfront areas.
Although, unlike the communities of Wausau, Schofield, Stevens Point, and Wisconsin Rapids they aren’t looking to take advantage of riverfront property. Instead, Plover is hoping to turn Lake Pacawa into a summer-long destination for families and outdoor enthusiasts.
“[We’re looking to] create this sense of community,” said Community Development Manager Ryan Kernosky.
Plans for the park include ADA-compliant boat launches, fishing docks, and an inclusive playground with a splash pad. He says they’re also looking to revamp the bandshell and clean up the water in the lake itself, all to the tune of about $3.5 million.
The ultimate goal would be to showcase the lakefront property for more than just the annual Celebrate Plover festivities. “Having that outdoor space utilized more than just one day a year,” he says. That means creating a space with multiple entertainment options for the whole family, such live music for the adults while the kids take advantage of playground areas and a swim beach.
“The end goal is to reactivate that park,” added Kernosky.
Money for the project would come in three phases. First, the village would take just over $1 million out of a nearby tax increment financing district to cover the first third including the infrastructure and utility portion of the project. Another million-plus would come from state grant funding to cover the lake cleanup and installation of the boat docks. The final third of the funding would come from private donations.
Kernosky says current estimates show they’d need to raise about $1.2 million in private donations to make the project a reality but doesn’t see that being a big issue. “We’re pretty confident that number is attainable and we are looking forward to launching the fundraising portion of this.”
An exact timeline on the launch of the fundraising effort as well as the implementation of the plan was not given. A portion of the village’s funding for the project does depend on final approval for a new apartment complex within the TIF district.
Other topics Kernosky, who was pinch-hitting for Village Administrator Dan Mahoney, discussed with WSAU’s Mike Leischner include:
Start of video- brief introduction and update on new housing projects within the village.
4:00- overview of updates planned for Lake Pacawa
10:45- update on vacant big-box store redevelopments such as the Econo Foods, Shopko, and Younkers buildings
13:00- Update on Post Road reconstruction
