The Picnic Pavilion, or Large Pavilion, is the public face of Stewart Park for many Ithacans. It has served as a popular wedding and event venue and as home of the Stewart Park Day Camp, beloved by children from Ithaca and Tompkins County over the past thirty years. However, heavy use and the passage of time caused this beautiful shingle-style building fell into disrepair.
After ten years of planning and on-the-ground restoration efforts led by Friends of Stewart Park in partnership with the City of Ithaca, Picnic Pavilion restoration was celebrated on June 4th, 2019. The now welcoming building is prepared to host community events for generations to come. You can find more information about pavilion rental here.
Revitalization Details
Over ten years, this multifaceted restoration effort resulted in a beautiful and structurally sound Picnic Pavilion that will continue to serve Ithaca and beyond for years to come. To achieve this success, the following projects were undertaken:
All seven original semi-circular door and window units carefully restored, funded by the Tompkins County Tourism Program
Pavilion bathrooms were restored, funded by the City of Ithaca with contributions by the Town of Ithaca and the Tompkins County Tourism Program
A new roof was installed, funded by the City of Ithaca’s capital improvement program
The interior walls and ceiling were repaired and painted, and new lighting was installed. Guidance was provided by a color expert at Ithaca College.
The porch was restored, including veranda ceiling painting and column restoration, funded by the City and County.
Thank you
Picnic Pavilion restoration was made possible by the generosity and support of the Tompkins County Tourism Program, the City of Ithaca, the Town of Ithaca, and of hundreds of individual donors and volunteers, including the Ithaca Beer Company.
