Prescott Park adds Ice Palace Workers to name

SARANAC LAKE — The village of Saranac Lake has redesignated Prescott Park, on the northern shore of Lake Flower next to the state boat launch, in honor of the Ice Palace Workers Local 101, who each year gather on the frozen waters of Pontiac Bay to construct the Ice Palace monument to the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival.

With a unanimous vote by the village board on Tuesday, the park will now be known as "Prescott-IPW Park." The redesignation also comes with the stipulation that any future changes to the park be made in consultation with Winter Carnival Committee and the IPW 101 director.

This vote comes after several trees were planted in the park, which IPW leaders quickly realized were right where they normally park equipment to remove the ice buildings blocks for the palace. These trees have since been relocated.

This happens every couple of years, Winter Carnival Committee Chair Jeff Branch said at a committee meeting last week.

"It's nobody's fault," he said.

There just needs to be better communication, he said, and this resolution was a way to finally formalize it and limit unnecessary work.

The village resolution says the change was made in honor of all past, present and future members of IPW Local 101.

"No site modifications shall ever be made at Prescott-lPW Park without first engaging the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Committee, and chair of the Ice Palace Committee, in good-faith consultation," it reads.

IPW 101 Director Joe Plumb said he was happy about the redesignation, adding that it will keep the park available as a workplace for the IPW for future generations.

"We're already facing warmer and warmer winters, so hopefully it's one less variable we'll have to figure out or work around," Plumb said.

The recent tree plantings was one of the last steps in a state-mandated cleanup of Pontiac Bay, where the IPW harvests ice blocks.

This bay was designated as a superfund site years ago, and the state Department of Environmental Conservation oversaw a major cleanup in 2018, removing 15,000 cubic yards of sediment contaminated with coal tar from a long-closed gas plant which used to sit uphill from the water.

The resolution was introduced by Trustee Matt Scollin. Trustee Aurora White had some questions on if the park was a donation to the village and if there are any restrictions on what the village can do with it because of that. She said she voted yes as long as there are no restrictions.

The Historic Saranac Lake Wiki says the park "was acquired for $1,700."

Village Mayor Jimmy Williams said the village is ordering new signs for all village parks, and Prescott-lPW Park will be getting a new one with its new name.

Back in the area's logging days, the park was the site of a Branch and Callanan lumber mill. After the mill closed, the park was established in 1925 through the efforts of Mary R. Prescott, who was a founding member of the Village Improvement Society.

It took several years, but after a lot of work by Wes Moody with his horses "Brown Dan" and "Mollie," they cleaned the shoreline and the park became the location of the village beach for many years.

In 1937, the Enterprise had called the lake head "unsightly."

In 1985, looking back on the initial condition of the park, the Enterprise reported, "Most of the river was filled with sunken stumps and whatever was left over from lumbering days. Lake Flower was a graveyard of rotten, waterlogged timbers and twisted roots resting in mud and ooze, a real hazard to anyone wishing to enjoy a swim that necessitated diving."

Eventually, the village beach was moved to Lake Colby, a highly controversial decision at the time.

Today, Prescott-IPW Park is used for picnicking, dog walking, and canoe and kayak launching in the summer. It is busiest in the winter, when dozens of IPW volunteers construct the palace and thousands of people visit the Ice Palace from all over the world.

Plumb said the design crew of the IPW has already had some informal gatherings to start drawing up plans for this year's Ice Palace. The 2025 Winter Carnival has the theme "Music Legends."

Winter Carnival is a 10-day festival in Saranac Lake encompassing the first and second weekends of February.