Home » News » Hortonville News » Alonzo Park gets power boost

Alonzo Park gets power boost

New electrical service will support larger events

By John Faucher


Hortonville Village Board members approved upgrading the electrical service to Alonzo Park on April 21.

Public Works Director Carl McCrary said currently the park has a metered 100-amp service running to the restrooms and pavilion, but at least a 300-amp service would be needed for larger events.

The Hortonville Civic Association is hosting the ninth annual Chocolate Fest in Alonzo Park June 2-3.

The expanded event will include bands, carnival rides, nighttime activities, a midway and a Lions Club fish fry.

“Right now if we have an event in the pavilion with a couple of Nescos going and someone uses the hand dryer in the bathroom, it will kick out a Nesco,” said McCrary. “We just do not have adequate power in the park.

“If we want to use the park for events like [Chocolate Fest] in the future, you are going to want to invest in the infrastructure of that park so we can use it for bigger events,” he added.

“To be honest with you I don’t think we can have the event [Chocolate Fest] with the power that we have there.”

McCrary presented a quote from WE Energies for $3,197 to upgrade the electrical service from the main transformer to the bathrooms and pavilion.

“What this involves here is boring a new single phase 320-amp service to the restrooms that will meet our needs beyond any event we can imagine in the future,” said McCrary.

He explained that the Hortonville Civic Association pays for running power to the locations where the carnival and midway will be located in addition to paying for electrical panel upgrades in the pavilion.

Board member Kelly Schleif asked, “Where would we find the money for this?”

Village Administrator Dianne Wessel suggested using a portion of the money the village saved on its property liability insurance.

The board recently received favorable bids on the village’s property liability insurance. In the process, the village was able to upgrade its coverage amount and still save $10,000 from the previous budgeted amount.

“It would be a budget amendment from the amount we have budgeted for property liability insurance,” said Wessel.

Board member Julie Vanden Heuvel asked what other advantages the electrical service upgrade would give the village.

McCrary said it would allow the village to bring major power to the adjacent field formerly known as the Hunt property, which the village acquired last year. He also said it would provide more than adequate power to the pavilion, allow for lighting at night events, carnival rides and bands.

Board member Peter Olk noted that the village acquired that property with the intent to host larger events at the site. Olk also pointed out that the Civic Association would be doing some cost sharing on upgrades at the park.

Schleif made a motion to approve the new service and pay for it with the savings realized in the property liability insurance budget.

The motion carried 6-0-1, with Olk abstaining due to his involvement with the Hortonville Civic Association.

Scroll to Top