Officers of St. Bronislava Knights of Columbus Council 13880 present a check for $15,844 to the Lake Pacawa Phase 2 project. Holding the check are Emma and Nate Olson and Leigh and Evalee Kramer. (Courtesy St. Bronislava Knights of Columbus Council 13880)

St. Bron’s Knights raise big bucks for Lake Pacawa

June 16, 2022

Metro Wire Staff

The Lake Pacawa Phase 2 project saw a financial boost thanks to a local steak feed.

The St. Bronislava Knights of Columbus Council 13880 held a community-wide steak feed on May 21, hosted by Memories Ballroom in Plover. More than 450 people attended, the Knights said in a news release on Thursday.

Council officers say they raised $15,844 for the Lake Pacawa project. The project has a special meaning to Knights’ member Al Trzebiatowski, and his wife, Karen. The two are life-long residents of Plover and have a grandson who is wheelchair-bound.

The $4 million revitalization project is nearly complete, according to Plover Administrator Dan Ault. The first of two phases were completed in 2018, and included the construction of a new bandshell, establishing green space for a bring-your-own-seating area, and a new cul-de-sac entrance in the south end of the park.

Phase two, which the Board of Trustees approved in 2019, includes a splash pad, updated accessible playground equipment, an accessible kayak launch, boat landing improvements, more parking, a new walking path, and upgrades to the beach and Lake Pacawa itself, which was once a popular swimming destination in the village.

Adding accessibility upgrades was an idea from Eric Krug, a firefighter and building inspector with the village, whose daughter was born with a heart condition and later suffered a stroke, keeping her wheelchair-bound for several months.

About half of the costs for the park upgrades are being covered by one of the village’s newest TIF projects. In summer 2019, the village board approved a developer’s agreement with RL Development of Plover, owned by Rolly Lokre, for Lake Park Apartments.

The upscale 87-unit apartment building is located on the corner of Village Park Dr. and Park Ave. near the Great Northern Distilling building, and is expected to bring in about $2 million in tax revenue, which was earmarked for the park improvements within the developer’s agreement.

The remaining $2 million is being raised via private donations and fundraisers like the Knights’ steak feed.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the park is scheduled for Saturday, July 30 at 10 a.m., which is the start of the annual Celebrate Plover event.

To donates, or for more information, go to www.celebrateploverfoundation.com/lakepacawa.