Local News
Envision Greater FDL Looking to Future After Termination of Lakeside Park Agreement
Envision Greater Fond du Lac says they are continuing to look to the future as an organization after the Fond du Lac City Council terminated the contract with the Lakeside Forward donor group for improvements to Lakeside Park on May 12th.
A press release from Envision sent Wednesday says the organization is going to work to “redouble efforts” to showcase Fond du Lac County as a “viable option for talent attraction, workforce development, and business development and expansion” to local, regional and national brands.
The terminated agreement would have leveraged $6 million to develop land in Lakeside Park for a multi-purpose building on the lighthouse peninsula, created skating rinks and basketball courts and an amphitheater in the park. The Fond du Lac City Council voted 4-3 at their May 12th meeting to terminate the agreement, after the sides failed to reach agreement on alternative locations for the mutli-purpose building.
“This decision by Fond du Lac’s City Council is certainly a disadvantage to the City and future development, and we anxiously await a proactive proposal for spurring future economic development from this council,” Envision Greater Fond du Lac President and CEO Sadie Parafiniuk said in a statement. “Regardless of the Council’s decision, Envision Greater Fond du Lac is open for business and we listen to our stakeholders and community to better utilize our resources to position Fond du Lac County as a great geographical location for development and talent attraction,” Parafiniuk added.
The release points out that while Envision Greater Fond du Lac and its Board of Directors are supporters of Lakeside Forward, Envision has assisted with attracting and securing new businesses in both the City of Fond du Lac and in Fond du Lac County.
Officials with Envision also add that the organization’s partnership with the county and all 33 of municipalities are “profound” – and that they continue to “find ways to work together for the betterment of our citizens” – naming an investigation and investment into county-wide broadband access, the highway 23 expansion, and continued development of business parks in the county as initiatives that continue to be worked on.