By Taylor J. Hale 

Staff Writer

PLOVER – Village leaders officially approved plans for the phase-two master plan at Lake Pacawa Park at a village board meeting on Aug. 7.

Part of the roughly $3.5 million project involved a 9.5-acre land donation to the park from Worzella & Sons. The donation was also approved at the meeting.

“Worzella had meant to make this donation years ago,” explained Village Administrator Dan Mahoney. “They thought they actually had. So when it was discovered that they hadn’t, they stepped forward.”

The village will utilize three sources of financing for the project, according to Mahoney. The project is slated to draw funding from a DNR stewardship grant, fundraising efforts, and excess income from the village’s Tax Incremental Funding (TIF) No. 4 District.

Additions to the park include a reworking of the beach and water area, splash pad, fishing docks, and other projects.

Officials noted a second DNR grant could potentially help fund future water conditioning and weed mediation measures.

Staff is currently working with Ehlers on the TIF #4 amendments that will be utilized for the park update. Increment income from the TIF is projected at around $1.9 to $2.5 million from 2021 to 2031.

The DNR grant application must be turned in by next May. A DNR recommendation and funds could be released by next October.

Construction at Lake Pacawa is planned to begin in the spring of 2021 and could be completed by spring the following year.

Read a full report on the Lake Pacawa project online at https://stevenspoint.wpengine.com/2019/07/25/parks-committee-approves-lake-pacawa-park-development-plans/.