BY ADAM ATKINSONNorth Country This Week

POTSDAM — Building on the success of Summerfest concerts on Fall Island this past year, live music on Fall Island will soon become a regular feature of the local entertainment scene.

The village of Potsdam is planning to construct an open-air community stage in the green space on the island near the new skatepark.

Village trustees and the mayor approved a resolution at their Oct. 19 meeting, agreeing to accept an $8,000 grant from the Northern New York Community Foundation to help pay for the stage installation.

Village Mayor Alexandra Jacobs Wilke said at the meeting that the idea to construct a permanent stage at Fall Island park was an idea suggested through the village’s skatepark committee.

“So the Potsdam Community Fund, which is the new fund that was created through the Northern New York Community Foundation; this was an application that was made to the fund,” Wilke told trustees.

The mayor said the idea was suggested by artist, designer and Canton native Matthew Mazzotta, who helped advise the village on its skate and art designs.

She said originally a stage was proposed for the backside of the skatepark on the half pipe wall, however, after further discussion village officials opted to locate a stage where the performances were presented during this past Summerfest instead, more towards the center of the park.

The mayor said renderings are pretty basic at this point. The stage will have a pergola, or pavilion style roof over it, but will not be another gazebo like the one in Ives Park.

The stage will be designed so performers can face either direction.

Besides live music, other events could be held there to utilize the community stage.  

“And when not in use, much like the gazebo, it will just be a pleasant place to park an Adirondack chair and have a seat,” Wilke said.

“The idea is that this is just a small project that would enhance the park offerings over there and would be supplemented with labor from public works and purchase of materials,” she said.

The total project cost according to information supplied to North Country This Week will be $26,500. The Potsdam Community Fund grant approved by the village board Oct. 19 will cover $8,000 of that. Secured funds from the village’s NYS Downtown Revitalization Initiative for the skatepark will cover the remaining $12,500.

The village will chip in an additional $6,000 in local materials, labor, equipment and site improvements.

The proposed stage would be made of concrete installed by village DPW workers, and be about 12 feet by 20 feet, with a permanent pergola-style structural frame installed over it for a roof. The stage would ideally have removable weather coverings and feature permanent electrical service there.

The village plans to finalize the planning and design, as well as purchase materials this fall, with an anticipated construction for the stage in spring 2027, in time for the summer outdoor performance season.