By Jim Newell

Review Editor

The Lake Orion Village Council on Monday approved the Orion Art Center’s application to host the 11th annual Dragon on the Lake festival from Aug. 22-25.

The council also scheduled a public hearing for Dragon on the Lake at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 12 in council chambers at Village Hall, 21 E. Church St., to hear public input, concerns or questions about the event.

Orion Art Center Board Member Alana Hart said the festival has expanded its footprint this year and will extend down Broadway Street from Shadbolt Street to approximately M&B Graphics. In previous years the festival’s downtown footprint ended at Front Street.

The festival, which includes the Dragon Boat races in Green’s Park on Sunday, will feature more than 130 vendors, including the Kidz Zone and street vendors.

Village Manager Joe Young said it was necessary to hold back-to-back public hearings in order to meet the hearings requirement due to the short time frame before the festival.

Dragon on the Lake is the non-profit Art Center’s largest fundraiser of the year.

“It’s what keeps the Art Center open,” Hart said.

“You deserve this credit. You work hard,” said Council President Ken Van Portfliet.

Bridge Street Seawall

The council also approved repairs to the seawall around three properties on Bridge Street.

The cost of the project is estimated at $135,000, with the village contributing $95,000. The remainder will be assessed to the homeowners under a five-year, six percent, special assessment district (SAD), which the council approved creating on Monday.

Young previously met with the three property owners at the end of Bridge Street, 104, 111 and 117, on July 3 to discuss the SAD and repair options to the seawall, which has been crumbling and falling into the lake for years, according to homeowners and councilmembers who spoke at the meeting.

“We’ve got to get this fixed. We’ve got to get going on this,” Van Portfliet said. “Originally we were looking at $330,000 (for the repairs). Today, we’re looking at $135,000.”

Also as the meeting:

The council voted 6-0 to approve appointing Shauna Brown and Cristy Garbacik to the Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee, with their terms to expire March 31, 2021.