A new outdoor pavilion erected adjacent to the Phifer enclosed pavilion has made the Franklin Township Lions Club proud.

The new pavilion at the Phifer Ice Dam Park, Main Road, Franklin Township, was recently erected using Lions funds, said Dave Hawk, Lions Club president. The building was constructed by Alpine Building and Post Supply, Schuylkill Haven.The 32-foot by 30-foot structure has a gravel floor for now and a peaked metal roof, with wood post supports.Hawk said that in the future, the floor will be paved with macadam to make it smoother.Hawk said that after the macadam is added, the area around the pavilion will be seeded with grass. The club decided to hold off on that work until later this fall because of the many upcoming events scheduled at the Phifer Ice Dam Park."We didn't want to make the area muddy," added Hawk.Bob Correll, club treasurer, said the building is cool underneath because there is always a nice breeze, plus there is a beautiful view of the ponds from the seating area.Currently, only three tables are available for seating, but the club members are eagerly awaiting a delivery of six more table/bench combinations to fill in the area. The area will be utilized this Sunday, Sept. 18 for the Picnic in the Park and Senior Day activities.Picnic in the Park will be held from noon to 6 p.m. and feature bingo, cake walk, Chinese auction, paddle boats and door prizes for seniors attending the event at 5 p.m., plus there will be entertainment by The Mudflaps from 4-6 p.m. Franklin Township residents over 65 years old who were preregistered will receive a free dinner from noon to 2 p.m. Food will also be available for purchase. Those attending should bring a lawn chair.Hawk was grateful for Jerome Dotter, who did the excavating on short notice.Franklin Township supervisors and Rob Cressley, road supervisor for Franklin Township, were also praised for donating fill from the township stock pile to fill in the uneven areas. Dotter also donated the fine gravel that presently serves as the base.Hawk said that the Franklin Township Lions Club also has a Cruise Night planned for Friday, Sept. 30 from 5-9 p.m. and that the Carbon County Labor Union will picnic at the pavilion and provide a band at 4 p.m. on Sept. 30 as part of the Cruise Night festivities, which will continue to 9 p.m."We decided to put on the pavilion because we wanted to help the community," said Hawk. "We always have to rent tents for our Picnic in the Park event and this will save us money in the long run, plus it's a nice addition to the park."