River Mill Park will be ready for a party on Saturday (May 21) when the new River Mill Park Rotary Bandshell officially opens.
Built under the direction of the Rotary Club of Huntsville and with the vision of architect Duncan Ross, the bandshell replaces the old temporary structure with a design intended to tie all of the elements in the park together.
Crews have been working hard all week to lay sod, complete the stonework and put the finishing touches on the structure so that it’s ready in time for both grand opening ceremonies (Saturday at 10:00am) and the inaugural Muskoka 2/4 Craft Beer Festival.
Anyone who remembers the original site plan will note that it has changed slightly – the bandshell itself had to be shifted due to District service lines beneath the planned location, and the three accessory storage sheds behind the bandshell have been moved to use as little greenspace as possible. (See the original site plan on Doppler here.)
Sheds?
The need for the sheds was questioned by Councillor Bob Stone at the last Town Council meeting. “The buildings are not for any specific purpose… Clearly nothing can be stored long-term (in them) for fear of theft,” he said. “I think they would be a target for vandalism and they would be yet another structure taking up grass in this park.”
Rob Saunders, General Manager for Huntsville Festival of the Arts, replied, “This is your bandshell so as you go forward you determine their uses. Storage is always a good thing. It’s a small park and we are sensitive to green space. That’s why (the sheds) were broken up and put in an arc… you could put in a temporary stage (at the back of the bandshell) and use that space for small concerts.”
Artist’s conception of the River Mill Park bandshell, side view with storage buildings
Ross Kirwin from the Huntsville Rotary Club added that the gross square footage of the three sheds combined isn’t much more than a parking space. “What we are asking is the opportunity to put (everything) in place the way the architect has suggested will work. I don’t believe the sheds will be a concern. If we aren’t putting them in I think we are depriving the community of what they are entitled to from the standpoint of the project.” The sheds are each 10 feet tall; two are six feet square and the other is nine-and-a-half feet square.
Funds to build the bandshell came from an Aviva Community Fund grant, a buy-a-brick fundraising campaign, and various community partners including the Rotary Club of Huntsville, Huntsville Festival of the Arts, the Downtown BIA, and the Muskoka Concert Band. Local businesses and volunteers also donated time and materials to the project.
After all the hard work, it’s now time to celebrate. The grand opening on May 21 at 10:00am will include speeches and recognition of the people and groups involved, an official ribbon cutting, and a performance by the Muskoka Concert Band. The festivities will wrap up at just after 11:00 so that the site can be prepared for the Muskoka 2/4 Craft Beer Festival to start at noon.
The new bandshell will be home to a variety of performances throughout the summer – check the Huntsville Festival of the Arts website for details.
For information on the Muskoka 2/4 Craft Beer Festival, click here.
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Once again, thank you Rotary Club for your good work. So many things that you have accomplished over the years. The Bandshell is something for the whole family to enjoy
Just a note to let you know that the donor wall will not be completed by this Saturday. The organizers plan to have another smaller event to open the wall with fanfare. Stay tuned for that date, The donor stone fund raiser was such a success they added another row.
Interesting that the sheds (which were designed to architecturally match the bandshell) were an issue with a few councillors but putting portable washrooms were welcomed. The shed doors have yet to be painted with Muskoka scenery by a local artist. They will be used for some storage but as changing rooms as well. The area in the back will play host to the donor wall and there is hope that granite will be used to produce seating.
It really will be beautiful and bring people to the downtown. Don’t forget that town will be sodding the parking area between the dock and the park.