Lakeport promenade project to be complete in August

LAKEPORT — The beautification of Lakeport Square and an extension to the WOW Trail go hand in hand, and developer Scott Everett said the Lakeport promenade project is expected to be done in August.

The project includes the new Lakeport Connector, which links the Opechee Loop to the WOW Trail.

Construction in Lakeport Square began in March, and workers have been clearing the area and building what will ultimately be green space adjacent to Lake Opechee Inn and Spa. It started with backfilling the slope on the parking lot side, across from 51 Elm, to make it level with Union Avenue and Elm Street.

Everett said one minor snag has been delay in receiving a custom concrete culvert box, needed to address drainage problems. It needed to be fabricated, and could take up to six weeks.

“A part of fixing the WOW Trail was also fixing the drainage going over to Opechee, because as you know, that was a mess,” Everett said in a phone interview Friday.

Everett said the culvert box was ordered about two weeks ago, and it takes four to six weeks to fabricate it. Work has been halted until it arrives. After that, there isn’t a lot left to do in this phase of the project.

“We can’t finish the trail until that culvert box goes in,” Everett. “But I feel awesome about this. I absolutely love the wall.”

Everett thanked Michelle Boissoneau-Dupont, owner of Lake Opechee Inn and Spa, for donating the land for the Lakeport promenade. He made clear it was her land — not the city’s — and she was instrumental in moving the project forward.

“She helped make the land available to make the path,” Everett said. “The bottom line is that we both have a vested interest in improving Lakeport. It has been a nice collective effort between her and I.”

He also praised Erica Blizzard, of Lakeport Landing Marina, and Fratello’s restaurant owner Chris McDonough, for being supportive of the project. He said this kind of collaboration in the Lakeport community is how a project of this magnitude gets done.

“There is more work to do, and I’m hoping we can get a lot of community participation,” Everett said.

Everett said the Lakeport improvements are part of big-picture project. He said it is a 10- to 15-year plan intended to rejuvenate the village, and is currently in about year six.

Everett was excited about the commercial upgrades in the area.

“All the tenants in the commercial buildings on Elm Street are killing it, and are flourishing,” Everett said. “We have 13 units either sold or under full contract, and three others in negotiations, so 16 of the 20 are either sold, or will be under contract by the end of the month."

While not set in stone, Everett isn’t ruling out welcoming a new restaurant. He has plans for nearby Doris Ray Court, which Everett purchased in the first phase of the project.

“For the future, there will be other amenities that will increase the overall niceness of the area,” Everett said.

He noted a crosswalk would be constructed near the entrance of Doris Ray to safely cross to Elm Street. On Friday, he reiterated this was still in the cards.

The original plan involved widening the existing sidewalk for the Opechee Loop, in the area between the WOW Trail entrance and Doris Ray Court. Those using the trail will be able to enter or exit at Doris Ray, and a paved path will connect it the existing trail.

In an April interview with The Daily Sun, Everett said the trail would be a lot safer this way. He noted cyclists won’t need to ride by the post at the end of the trail and negotiate a curb, and the narrow sidewalk near traffic.

Everett said after putting so much time, effort, and money into the project, he is happy to see another phase come to fruition, especially with the WOW Trail going up Elm Street as part of the future plan.

“We are so excited that the WOW Trail is going to go up Elm Street,” Everett said. “People are really excited that this will be the new WOW Trail path that circles the lake.”

Personalized bricks are being sold by the WOW Trail nonprofit organization, intended to support the mission to build a “more walkable, bike-friendly community” according to information provided by the WOW Trail. Bricks will be installed along the new Lakeport Connector, and are intended to honor loved ones, businesses, or other connections to the Lakes Region.

To learn more, visit bricksrus.com/donorsite/wowtrail.