The Fond du Lac Public Works director says unless the Fond du Lac city council says otherwise, funding will be included in the budget and construction will begin next summer on a new Lakeside Park pavilion on the site of the existing pavilion. The issue was clouded last week when councilmember Ben Giles surprised other councilmembers and city staff by asking for a pause in the project. Giles said unnamed investors approached him in support of the original plan rejected three years ago to building a pavilion, restaurant and amphitheater on park land at the end of North Main Street. Public Works director Jordan Skiff says the council rejected that idea after receiving public outcry. “It was at a park board meeting that several residents spoke out concerned about losing high value trees, losing green space, losing that view of the lake directly as you drive north on Main Street,” Skiff told WFDL news. “So the park board recommended to the city council the new pavilion is fine but they wanted it on the footprint of the existing (pavilion).” Skiff says at this point funds for the new pavilion are in the budget and construction is still slated to begin next summer. Meanwhile, Skiff says the original Excel Engineering plan showed an amphitheater at the end of North Main Street, but again the concern was the loss of green space. Skiff says one idea that has been discussed and has merit would involve constructing an amphitheater in Lakeside Park West where the Fond du Lac River meets Lake Winnebago. “A largely unused space at this point. Boats could dock along the river and enjoy the music and the atmosphere of the amphitheater,” Skiff said. Council president Brian Kolstad and others like that idea and I like that idea.”
