Music to sound from Oleson Park Bandshell again

Restoration project gets formal launch

By BILL SHEA, Messenger staff writer
As an early winter chill gripped the knot of people watching him, Fort Dodge Mayor Terry Lutz drove home some metal pegs in the scaffolding around the Oleson Park Bandshell Tuesday morning.

His handiwork gave the much anticipated and sometimes controversial bandshell job a formal start.

Sometime early next summer, the scaffolding will come down and the bandshell will stand looking as fresh and new as the day in 1938 when bandleader Karl King presided at a concert to dedicate it.

Taking a page from King’s book, city leaders are already planning a July 4, 2008, rededication concert.

‘‘It’s been a long time coming,’’ Councilman Don Wilson said after Tuesday morning’s event. ‘‘Today is a happy day. I’m just anxious to see the park back to the way it used to be.’’

Wilson represents the 2nd Ward, where the bandshell is located.

Lutz reflected on the work done so far and that which remains to be done on the historic bandshell.

‘‘Worthwhile projects are never easy,’’ he said.

The event attended by about 35 people provided a formal jump start to a highly visible phase of work at the bandshell.

Sam Trigila, project manager for Clifford Restoration Ltd. of Scarborough, Canada, said that when his company is done, the bandshell will be ‘‘quite functional.’’

‘‘We’re quite pleased to be here and to do this project for you,’’ he said.

Clifford Restoration Ltd. has an $816,000 contract. The money to pay for the work is coming from grants, donations and fundraisers.

Trigila and Holly Butler, the project manager for Prairie Architects Inc. of Fairfield, described what will be done to the bandshell in the coming months.

The current layers of white paint will be removed and before any new paint is applied the structure will be coated with an epoxy-like substance that will expand and contract with temperature changes. That ability to expand and contract will prevent future cracks in the bandshell, according to Butler and Trigila.

A new ventilation and heating system will be installed in the basement dressing room area in the rear of the bandshell. Extensive work will be done on the flat roof over that area.

The windows on the back of the bandshell will be repaired or replaced.

A new surface designed to reduce the possibility of performers slipping and falling will be put on the floor of the bandshell’s stage.

A pool of water that once graced the front of the bandshell will be restored.

‘‘Hopefully, month by month you’ll see quite a drastic improvement,’’ Trigila said.

A ceremony was deemed appropriate to start that month-by-month improvement. But since the bandshell is already standing, a traditional groundbreaking didn’t seem to make sense. So Lutz was handed a pair of work gloves and a hammer.

As the metallic ringing of the hammer on the metal pegs echoed through the park, Trigila said, ‘‘See what a hard-working mayor you have.’’

‘‘Nothing to it,’’ Lutz replied.

Then he paused, looked around and asked, ‘‘Where do I clock in?’’

The activity launched Tuesday isn’t actually the first work on the bandshell restoration. Last year, CE Contracting of Hampton did some drainage and waterproofing work.

Future phases of the project will include building a restroom building and installing seats in front of the bandshell. Completing those components will depend on securing the needed money. Lutz said it’s likely that some public money will be needed to finish that work.

The bandshell was built by the Depression-era Works Progress Administration. Ground was broken in 1936; the dedication concert was held in 1938. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Jim Reed, of Fort Dodge, and former Councilman John Hale initiated the concept of a bandshell restoration in 2000. Their plan had four major goals: restoring the structure, upgrading its essential systems, marketing it as a place for more events and educating the public about King, the noted bandleader and composer who lived in Fort Dodge.

But nothing happened as quickly as Hale and Reed hoped. Project costs rose and fundraising didn’t keep pace. The management of the project was criticized. And getting the bandshell listed on the National Register of Historic Places resulted in more requirements to meet.

Hale and Reed were not at Tuesday’s event.



Contact Bill Shea at (515) 573-2141 or bshea@messengernews.net