Lake Effect Conservancy

THE LAKE EFFECT CONSERVANCY IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT SERVES AS AN ADVOCATE AND FUNDRAISING AGENCY FOR THE PANOWAY ON WAYZATA BAY INITIATIVE, A PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF WAYZATA. THE GOAL OF THIS INITIATIVE IS TO PRESERVE AND ENHANCE THE CITY'S GREATEST ASSET, LAKE MINNETONKA, FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS AND TO HELP IMPROVE THE LAKESIDE ECOSYSTEM WITH SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS TO THE COMMUNITY.

FUNDING UPDATEWE RECEIVED $284,718 IN GIFTS FROM PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS, FOUNDATIONS, AND BUSINESSES DURING THE YEAR.WE ASSISTED THE CITY OF WAYZATA IN ITS EFFORTS TO APPROVE UTILIZING $4 MILLION FROM A TAX INCREMENT FINANCING (TIF) DISTRICT TO HELP COVER DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION COSTS FOR THE PUBLIC BOARDWALK AND COMMUNITY DOCKS AS WELL AS SHORELINE RESTORATION. THIS FOLLOWS SUCCESSFUL EFFORTS FROM CITY LEADERS AND THE WAYZATA CONSERVANCY TO WORK WITH LAWMAKERS TO OBTAIN SPECIAL TIF LEGISLATION FROM THE STATE. THROUGH THESE EFFORTS, COMBINED WITH PAST SUCCESSES, MORE THAN 95% OF THE REQUIRED FUNDS FOR THIS PHASE OF THE PROJECT HAVE BEEN SECURED. AS A RESULT, THE CITY OF WAYZATA IS MOVING FORWARD WITH THE DESIGN OF PHASE II OF THE PANOWAY PROJECT, INCLUDING THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE PUBLIC BOARDWALK AND COMMUNITY DOCKS, SIGNIFICANT SHORELINE RESTORATION, AND THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE SECTION FOREMAN HOUSE RE-USE PROJECT. WE RECEIVED A LEAD GIFT TOWARDS THE SECTION FOREMAN HOUSE THAT WILL FUND 50% OF CONSTRUCTION, LEAVING A BALANCE OF $750,000 TO FUND THE TRAIL AND OTHER RELATED INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES TO MAKE PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE LAKESHORE LEARNING CENTER, AND RENOVATION OF THE BUILDING, POSSIBLE. PROGRAM UPDATETHE SECTION FOREMAN HOUSE WAS PLACED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTRY OF HISTORIC PLACES, AN IMPORTANT DESIGNATION IN PRESERVING A SIGNIFICANTLY HISTORICAL BUILDING. THE ARCHITECTURE FIRM CUSHING TERRELL WAS SELECTED TO HELP BRING THIS RECOGNIZED NATIONAL HISTORIC BUILDING BACK TO LIFE. THE PLAN IS TO RESTORE THIS HISTORIC HOME AND REPURPOSE IT INTO A LAKEFRONT LEARNING CENTER, CREATING A LIVING MUSEUM THAT WILL PROVIDE INDOOR AND OUTDOOR CLASSROOM AND COMMUNITY SPACE AS PART OF THE NEWLY CREATED ECO PARK.WE SUCCESSFULLY FUNDED, DESIGNED, AND COMPLETED A MEMORIAL HONORING THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 9/11/2001 ATTACKS ON THE WORLD TRADE CENTER. THE MEMORIAL IS AN IMPORTANT REFLECTION POINT IN THE HEART OF PANOWAY AT THE INTERSECTION OF LAKE ST. AND BROADWAY AVE. THE MEMORIAL HONORS WAYZATA NATIVE SON GORDY AAMOTH JR, AND REMEMBERS ALL WHO WERE INJURED OR PERISHED, ALL VOLUNTEERS AND FIRST RESPONDERS WHO UNITED TO ANSWER THE CALL, AND THOSE WHO WERE TOUCHED BY THE EVENTS OF THAT DAY. WE LAUNCHED OUR NAMING AND DEDICATION PROGRAM, PROVIDING COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND OTHER PROJECT SUPPORTERS OPPORTUNITIES TO BE RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF THE PANOWAY ON WAYZATA BAY PROJECT. SUPPORTERS MAY PAY TRIBUTE TO PEOPLE, PLACES, BUSINESSES OR ORGANIZATIONS BY MAKING A FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE PROJECT. EACH GIFT, AND RESULTING NAMING OR DEDICATION, IS SUBJECT TO THE CITY OF WAYZATA POLICY FOR NAMING AND DEDICATION OF CITY-OWNED LAND AND FACILITIES.