River Mill Park could be home to a new, permanent bandshell as early as next May if interested parties can get approval from town council before the ground freezes.
The Rotary Club of Huntsville, working in concert with the Huntsville Lake of Bays Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Huntsville BIA, and the Huntsville Festival of the Arts, hopes to start construction on a new bandshell in River Mill Park very soon.
Ross Kirwin, representing the Rotary Club, unveiled for Huntsville Town Council on Wednesday the plan for building the new bandshell.
Kirwin said a lot of thought went into where to locate the stage to avoid the hydro lines, the look of the structure and what materials to use in construction to dissuade vandalism.
The new bandshell will be located on the east side of the park with its back to the playground, looking out toward the river. Click here to see the mapped location in River Mill Park.
“We want to be able to offer a stage approximately the size of Algonquin Theatre, with a 50-year life span, that is vandal proof, and will hold up to the elements. Making it vandal proof is proving the most difficult.”Ross Kirwin, Rotary Club of Huntsville
Although two designs were presented to council, Kirwin says the committee is favouring the second design, which costs about 40 per cent more coming in between $150,000 to $200,000. That design has a rounded stage and roof, and mimics the sightlines of the pergola already located in the park. Click here to see the architect’s rendering of the bandshell.
The Rotary Club is anxious to get going. “We started talking about this in 2014. We are coming up on 2016. We would like to start digging in November and pouring the concrete. That can be done in November without proceeding to construction. That would go a long way in letting people know that we are coming. If we could pour the concrete in November we could start construction in the spring. Our goal would be to be open for our first concert in May,” Kirwin told council.
Show me the money
There is financial support for the bandshell. Between the Rotary Club, the BIA and the Huntsville Festival of the Arts, $60,000 has been pledged. The Muskoka Concert Band chimed in last week with a $5000 commitment and 15 of its members promised to ‘buy a brick’ in the fundraising campaign.
Councillors raised concerns about sound travel, about a future parking lot reconfiguration and reconstruction, about the business model, and about who will ultimately be responsible for the on-going upkeep and management of the bandshell.
Staff were directed to bring back a report to council for consideration.
Supporters can vote for possible funding via the Aviva Community Fund
The Rotary Club of Huntsville has applied to the Aviva Community Fund for a $30,000 grant. You can vote daily to help the idea become a finalist – the more votes the idea receives, the more likely it will be a finalist. Only finalists are considered for a grant. From October 6 to 23, cast your vote daily and encourage your friends and family to do the same.
Click here to register to vote for the project (be patient after you register – it may take a while for your confirmation email to arrive) and then click here every day to vote.
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