
Twin Lakes Area Chamber and Business Association President Wayne Trongeau points to the hill that the chamber first proposed digging out to place a pavilion at Lance Park.
The Twin Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce and the Twin Lakes village government are exploring the building of a pavilion in Lance Park.
The chamber proposed the idea at a Village Board meeting in March. The pavilion could replace the chamber’s need to rent and erect tents at the park each summer for Libertyfest. The rest of the year, the village could rent out the pavilion to others, chamber representatives say.
On Monday, Village Board members, village administrator Jennifer Frederick and representatives of the chamber leadership met at Lance Park to discuss the possibilities.
The chamber is figuring a 60 feet by 90 feet structure with a roof but open sides would work for their purposes. Initial thoughts were to cut into the hill that runs along the park’s parking lot’s west side to locate the structure. The tent the chamber has been using is erected in the parking lot.
But Village Board members thought that might be expensive due to the amount of dirt that would have to be moved.
Trustee Kevin Fitzgerald suggested using the natural bowl in the park west of the parking lot for a music venue and area for Libertyfest. Others raised concerns about the cost of that alternative, but Trustee Aaron Karow, who is experienced with excavation, said using the bowl would likely be less expensive than digging out the hill. Chamber President Wayne Trongeau, a retired police officer, said he was concerned the bowl would create a hang out when not in use that could not be patrolled easily by police officers.
Eventually, some consensus seemed to develop around the idea of locating the pavilion in a flat area just east of the restroom building and Scout House at the park. Possible problems with that area are utilities running in relatively shallow trenches in that area and concerns about conflicting with Aquanuts Ski Team performances at the lakeside amphitheater. The ski team also had a representative present at the meeting at the park.
Possibilities for how to pay for the structure include chamber fundraising, village contribution or some combination.
It is expected that when the chamber is not using the pavilion for Libertyfest it would be available for rental use by other groups or parties, therefore generating some revenue.

This shows the flat area where a pavilion could be placed near the existing Scout House and restroom building.