State Representative Joel Kitchens says he’s pleased that the Wisconsin State Building Commission voted Wednesday to provide more funding for the replacement of the former Eagle Tower at Peninsula State Park near Fish Creek. The commission’s actions will release an additional $1.4 million for the new observation tower. The project had been bid out twice, but the lowest figure was still about $1.4 million more than what was available. That $1.4 million will now be covered by bonding from a different project that came in under budget. The original Eagle Tower, built in 1932, was razed in 2016 because of public safety concerns related to severe decay that was found throughout the structure. The Friends of Peninsula State Park and local community members raised $750,000 for the new tower with additional financial support coming from state and federal grants. The state Department of Natural Resources has indicated there’s a chance that construction on the tower could begin in late fall.
