MASON CITY – Thanks to the help of dedicated volunteers and donors, more work is now underway to restore the East Park band shell in Mason City.
Waggoner and Wineinger Architects prepared plans and specifications for the project. Henkel Construction of Mason City was awarded a contract by the Mason City council in June to complete $56,900 in work to the exterior of the East Park Band Shell. The original bid included two options which the Mason City Park Board felt would enhance the overall use of the band shell. Unfortunately, a handicap ramp for the east side of the band shell turned out to be more expensive than expected and was dropped from the project following the June 10, 2014 Park Board meeting. Enough funding was available, however, to complete the base project and the installation of wood lattice on the front of the stage. The work must meet strict specifications for the historical integrity of the structure.
Janice Easley of Mason City, who has long spear-headed the drive for donations for band shell renovations, said she was pleased they were going to complete the exterior and electrical wiring. While there wasn’t enough money for the handicap ramp on the east side this year, she hoped that work could be completed next year.
Janiceis still collecting donations, which can be mailed to City Hall, 10 1st Street NW, Mason City.
httpv://youtu.be/dXs4uBBFBw0
Go ahead and screw up a band shell like our main street, then we really won’t have that flavor of Iowa. Or retro which is soooo now. Main streets and band shells is what visitors dig about Iowa. How difficult is that. I rode ragbrai with many people and not one commented on anything around MC except for the cool band shell still standing. I retract that…Max’s bike garden was a huge hit with the hundreds who visited and stayed there. The 2 things that really make MC hip.
Sweet…
I really like Janice, she always seems to want to help the community and is willing to do the extra work it takes to get the donations to make it happen. I also like the fact she’s not afraid to put mayor Bookmeyer in his place! Great job Janice!
If you can’t hear – drink more BEER !
Continued… They were asked, (as musicians) if they thought the band shell was worth keeping or be removed for a new modern band shell. Their answer was to build a new band shell. Even the music instructor at that time said it was out dated acoustically. I along with Philosophus, are waiting for the next band to play there.
@Allen-Yes, and they would have done all of that with a tax increase.
If I remember right, it was to be payed for by the Park Dept and if approved by the council would have been budgeted into the yearly budget of the Park Dept. The Park Dept. used to be what you would call, the red headed step child. The Dept. wasn’t given much capitol to work with compared with other city departments. So to not give the Park any extra money, the construction of a new band shell would be paid for over a period of years. So in essence, no extra tax money would be needed.
I have to agree with Philosophus, what good is it. There were and maybe still are people that want to remove it. But lets not forget, the ones that wanted to remove it had visions of a new acoustically modern band shell. Visions of a band shell with two stages, one on each end, separated by new modern toilets. There was a committee formed of high school musicians that toured the band shell and even played in it. Continued….
Thank you Janice. Job well done for your good and faithful service and dedication to this community.
@Mother Nature-Janice does a great job and it was a damn shame the way the mayor and city council treated her just because she was against one of their expensive schemes. Philly is correct that we need some music and other thing scheduled at the Band Shell to utilize it. It would not surprise me one bit to know that they have blacklisted it just to spite her.
I agree LVS, particularly regarding how badly she was treated by the Mayor and some council members. And although Phil is correct on an intellectual level concerning the use of the facility, I haven’t heard where his is willing to step up to the plate and recruit some local talent for concerts, theater or any other creative activity. He’s mostly all talk but seldom follows Jancies example by walking the walk. With him…. when all is said and done, more is said than done. IMO
I remember those who wanted it bulldozed at council meetings in the early days.
They would sit and roll their eyes and laugh at the old lady who got up to speak. She believed so strong in it’s future.
Yes there were other believers but she sure made me proud and reafirmed…. Don’t be intimidated & to get up and speak even if your voice shakes
Nice to see a stage restored, but where’s the Shakespeare? Where’s the quartets? The plays? The stand up routines? Every time I’ve been near it, it stands empty, lifeless, unused. So what’s the point? Just to stand and look at it?
I’ll meet you at the band shell Tuesday at 7 PM for your stand up routine. I will video the entire thing. Here’s your chance, get the ball rolling!
🙂
I’d almost be willing pay to see that…almost.
Philosophus does Shakespeare.
So which of Shakespeare’s characters best fits Philosophus’s talents?
Touchstone from “As You Like It”?
Trinculo from “The Tempest”?
Now that was a movie to remember! The Tempest
Tempting Mr. Marquardt. However, I think an internet radio show would be time better served. Perhaps you want to start on on NIT? Radio I can do. Appearances? I’d have to have a paper bag over my head. (I’m shy).
Matt are you familiar with The Young Turks internet political show? Very good stuff. I think live discussion would be the next logical progression to NIT. Keep it interesting. Imagine the call in portion if I were a guest? Man, the hate would be seething! ha ha.
I’ve been planning that for 2 years. I want to do a round-table discussion show and publish it to Youtube. Need willing participants. I had a cast rounded up but each kind of backed out.
This is North Iowa…most of us are ugly here. Try a radio show and you’ll get better results. 🙂