|
|
|
Orion officials are looking at sprucing up the historic band shell in Central Park before its 100th birthday in 2013.
Trustees have decided to spend up to $3,500 for engineering fees related to the project.
John Fellman of Missman, the village’s engineering firm, has been out to look at the band shell and measure it, Trustee Steve Newman told the board on Monday, Dec. 5.
Orion had budgeted $1,500 for the engineering study, but Fellman’s inspection showed the repairs might be more extensive than initially believed, Newman said.
The trustee said the village has $6,000 set aside for band shell improvements, and the money could be used for the engineering fees.
“The band shell with all of its angles is not easy to measure,” Newman said.
Originally, the village intended to have the interior of the band shell renovated to provide more storage underneath the stage, and perhaps to pour concrete under the structure, the trustee said.
But the deck is rotting, and some boards need to be replaced, Newman said.
Since work needs to be done on the deck, this might be the time to extend the deck permanently, the trustee said. The village has been using temporary extensions.
Newman also is looking at prices for pressure-washing and painting the band shell, and for running a sidewalk from the band shell to the rest rooms.
Fellman will need most of December to finish the preliminary work on his report, Newman said. The trustee told him to report to the board in February, so trustees can include the project in the budget for the next fiscal year, which begins in the spring.
“What if he says it will cost $50,000?” Trustee Jamie Lawson said.
“We’re raising money,” Newman said. “I sent a letter out to some of the organizations in town, requesting funds for the security system. It states that if we receive more than we need, we will spend it on the band shell itself.”
Trustee Dale Stiles asked if grants might be available for the work, because the band shell is on the National Register of Historic Places.
All that’s available is $1,500 from the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, Newman said.
Trustee Mel Drucker suggested trying to find foundations interested in small towns, band shells, etc.
Stiles said Bi-State Regional Commission might have information on funding sources.
Lawson pointed out the village has spent a lot of money on engineering fees for projects that have not begun yet, including the streetscape project as well as the band shell.
Orion officials are looking at sprucing up the historic band shell in Central Park before its 100th birthday in 2013.
Trustees have decided to spend up to $3,500 for engineering fees related to the project.
John Fellman of Missman, the village’s engineering firm, has been out to look at the band shell and measure it, Trustee Steve Newman told the board on Monday, Dec. 5.
Orion had budgeted $1,500 for the engineering study, but Fellman’s inspection showed the repairs might be more extensive than initially believed, Newman said.
The trustee said the village has $6,000 set aside for band shell improvements, and the money could be used for the engineering fees.
“The band shell with all of its angles is not easy to measure,” Newman said.
Originally, the village intended to have the interior of the band shell renovated to provide more storage underneath the stage, and perhaps to pour concrete under the structure, the trustee said.
But the deck is rotting, and some boards need to be replaced, Newman said.
Since work needs to be done on the deck, this might be the time to extend the deck permanently, the trustee said. The village has been using temporary extensions.
Newman also is looking at prices for pressure-washing and painting the band shell, and for running a sidewalk from the band shell to the rest rooms.
Fellman will need most of December to finish the preliminary work on his report, Newman said. The trustee told him to report to the board in February, so trustees can include the project in the budget for the next fiscal year, which begins in the spring.
“What if he says it will cost $50,000?” Trustee Jamie Lawson said.
“We’re raising money,” Newman said. “I sent a letter out to some of the organizations in town, requesting funds for the security system. It states that if we receive more than we need, we will spend it on the band shell itself.”
Trustee Dale Stiles asked if grants might be available for the work, because the band shell is on the National Register of Historic Places.
All that’s available is $1,500 from the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, Newman said.
Trustee Mel Drucker suggested trying to find foundations interested in small towns, band shells, etc.
Stiles said Bi-State Regional Commission might have information on funding sources.
Lawson pointed out the village has spent a lot of money on engineering fees for projects that have not begun yet, including the streetscape project as well as the band shell.
“We have to do an engineering study before we can even consider upgrades,” Village President Jim Cooper said.
“Don’t put the cart before the horse,” Lawson said. “We spend engineering fees on projects we can’t afford. We don’t have to go with the same engineering firm every time.”
In the future, Orion should get a bid from Missman and then go out for bids from other engineering firms, the trustee said.
In other business
• Deb Ford, executive director of Main Street Orion, thanked the village for contributing $500 toward the $1,100 spent on toys for Saturday with Santa on Dec. 3. Main Street volunteers passed out 150 toys, and they have a few left over for next year.
