The ice is gone from Lake George, and the Village of Lake George is beginning to green up. Village employees are busy sweeping the sand and salt from the streets and hauling out the Adirondack chairs and benches to prepare for another summer by the Queen of American Lakes. Included in the annual list of tasks is installation of the newest personalized bricks and pavers at the Centennial Fountain in Shepard Park.
The fountain, a summer oasis of cascading water and lush landscaping, is built of Adirondack granite, about 25 tons of it. The entrance and surrounding walkway is paved with bricks and pavers, which may be purchased and personalized, up to three 14-character lines each. Orders are accepted at the Village Hall throughout the year. Bricks and pavers ordered by Dec. 31 will be installed the following spring. The cost is $50 for a brick, $150 for an 8” x 8” paver. Order forms are available here.
The fountain was built in 2003 to commemorate the Village’s 100th anniversary. The $22,000 cost was covered by donations of services and materials from local businesses, with the remaining funds raised by the sale of bricks and pavers. Dedication ceremonies for the fountain took place August 13, 2003 with a barbecue, fireworks and the first-ever public performance of the newly formed Lake George Community Band.
The band, originally organized as a marching band, has endured past the centennial celebrations to become a staple in Lake George, performing in Shepard Park in the summer and at the Lake George High School and Charles R. Wood Theater in the winter and spring. The band helps light up the village each holiday season by performing traditional Christmas music at the Village fire station as children line up to visit Santa. Since 2005, the Lake George Community Band has hosted the Community Band Festival, which brings in community bands from surrounding states. The 2015 festival is scheduled for July 17 and 18 in Shepard Park.