Lions Pavilion Grand Opening

Email:  Sue@PrintsPublishing.com

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Email:  Sue@PrintsPublishing.com

HomePage:  www.PrintsPublishing.com

Prior to the 2018 Victoria Lions Tournament Weekend of July 20th, 21st, and 22nd, a couple details remained to be finished at the new Lions Pavilion.  John Storms of Victoria Repair and his sons Tim and Travis built and installed a steel gate inside the new Lions Pavilion at Lions Park on Friday, July 7th.

The gate is located in the hallway between the bathrooms and the main assembly area of the pavilion.  The pavilion was a construction project of the Victoria Lions these past several months and a contribution upon completion to the residents and City of Victoria.

The city wanted to keep the bathrooms open to the public but not the main assembly area which has chandeliers, a larger screen TV, and other amenities that would be ripe for vandals if open to the public.

Also just prior to the Grand Opening of the new Lions Pavilion, Booger Theis and Matt Kaufhold dug out, leveled, and poured new cement on the south side of the new Victoria Lions Pavilion so that it wouldn’t be a tripping hazard.

The new cement was leveled on July 17th, just in time for Lions Tournament Weekend.

Grand opening of the new pavilion began on Friday evening with ballgames and food and drink.

It was a perfectly temperate weekend so people spent much time outside the pavilion on the paver patio or on one of the bleachers watching a game at one of the nearby ballfields or sitting on the grass under a large shade tree in Lions Park.

Sizer of the pavilion’s assembly space that can be set up with chairs and tables is 3,275 square feet, which equates to a 218 person occupancy load, according to city standards.

Lion Al Orsen has estimated the occupancy to be closer to 300.  “Most places use 10 square feet/person,” he explained.  “Victoria uses 15 square feet/person.”

The assembly area of the old Village Hall was 60’ by 36’ = 2,160 square feet, he said.  Using current city standards, that translates to only 144 seating capacity.  Kitchen and bathroom area of the Village Hall was 20’ by 36’.

The inside includes a vaulted ceiling, over 50 recessed lights plus 10 chandeliers, two large ceiling fans, an 86-inch smart TV, sound, electrical, and heating systems, and the familiar “hamburger kitchen” — all enclosed by 11 large garage doors.

There were approximately 30 contractors involved in the construction of the Lions Pavilion these past twelve months, plus there were others who were involved on the project.

“It was a pretty intensive job to organize them in the right order at the right time to get the job done,” said Lion Al Orsen, a retired Registered Professional Engineer who helped the new Lions Pavilion come to life.

The contractor/vendor list on the pavilion came to include Minger Construction (Jordan), Poppitz Construction (Chaska), Piling Systems (NYA), Expert Construction (Young America), S.J. Reus Construction (Watertown), Lyman Lumber (Chanhassen), Laketown Electric (Waconia), Siwek Lumber & and Millwork (Jordan), Michel Masonry (Victoria) . . .

. . .  Victoria Plumbing (Chaska), M&M Insulation (Waconia), Action Overhead Door (New Prague), Kerber Family Homes (Victoria), Summit Fire Protection (St. Cloud), Boorsma Masonry (Victoria), Michelson Painting (Mound), Permanent Coating Solutions (Mayer), Twin Cities Hardware (Maple Grove), Grade A Gutters (Carver) . . .

. . . Sonus Interiors (Golden Valley), Center Point Energy (Minneapolis), U.S. Bank, Parallel Technologies (Eden Prairie), Victoria Repair (Victoria), Sound & Security (St. Bonifacius), Hartman Patio & Firepit (Victoria), ESP Security (Electronic Doors), Robert F. Schmieg Custom Builders (Victoria), CHI Temp Heat (Chaska), Southern Lights (Bloomington).

The back side (south side) of the Lions Pavilion is mainly seen by ballplayers.

On Friday evening for about a half hour, the pavilion was very full of people when it began to rain right through the sunshine.  It’s not often that rain and sun occur simultaneously and no one complained or seemed to mind.  Instead they marveled at the curious weather event.

Hi, Victoria Lion Deep Baveja, son Maanvik and daughter Diya.

Hi, Victoria Lion Jack Hines and family, wife Shannon, son Patrick, daughter Heidi.

Hi, Liz and Marc Reus.  Marc and his father Lion Steve Reus did all the major carpentry work for the pavilion, the framing, the siding and roof, the sheathing, soffits, trim, etc.

Hi, Lion Ryan Johnson (left) and sons Hudson and Brecken.  Hi, Victoria Postmaster Karla Bogucki and husband Mark and sons Miles and Baron.

Seven come eleven (l-r):  Lion Jeff Chapman, Lion Ray Notermann, Lion Brian Schmieg, Randy Schmieg, Pokey Johnson, Lion Loane Burau, and Former Resident of Victoria Mike Wartman.

Hi, Ann O’Neill, good mother of Lion Laura O’Neill.

Hi, Tom and Tracy Schrempp and son Colton, athlete and Merit Scholar.

Hi, Victoria girls.  Front (l-r):  Dawn Dammann, Sandy Krause, Ellen Rolf.  Back:  Jane Schimschock, Judy Forcier, and Judy Schmieg.

Hi, Victoria ladies (l-r):  Jane Michel, Beatrice Mechtel, Carol Schmieg, Darlene Kelzer, Betty Robling, Marge Robling.

A LIONS WEEKEND MINI-SCHNEIDER REUNION.  On a sunny Sunday afternoon, July 22nd, at the new Victoria Lions digs, first cousins and spouses gathered for a mini-reunion.  The parents of those who were there are the children of John and Helen Schneider.  The "children" are Paul and Joy Schneider, Jim and June Schneider, Tom and Donna Schneider, Bill and Donna Schneider, Germaine and Don Jesberg, Jeanette and Bob Schug.  “At times, our get-togethers have been across the street at St. Victoria's cemetery,” said Steve Jesbserg.  “This was so much nicer.”

                 Front (l-r):  Mary Jo (Schneider) Zirbes, Ellen (Schneider) Rolf, Jane (Schneider) Schimschock, Carroll Anne Jesberg, Paula (Schneider) Ward.  Middle:  Gary Schneider, Sharon Schneider, Joyce Schneider, Jill (Schneider) Metzger, Randy Schneider, Steve Jesberg, Bill Schneider, Jeanne (Schneider) Erickson.  Back: Gregg Schneider, Jack Metzger, Kevin Rolf, John Zirbes, Jeff Jesberg, Paul Jesberg, Betty (Jesberg) Laska, Meg Schneider, Mary (Jesberg) Paur, Ken Paur, Jim Laska, Doug Erickson.  Not pictured: Jack and Barb Schug.