By Jim Bloch
“This is go time,” said Marysville City Manager Randy Fernandez.
In other words, it’s time to demolish the old band shell and build a new amphitheatre in Marysville Park. The city council voted unanimously at its regular meeting Oct. 23 to hire Martin Construction, LLC of Port Huron for $547,653 to erect the new structure.
“As you know, (there has been) a lot of discussion over the past few years about the band shell and the repairs that are needed,” said Fernandez, as heard on the recording of the meeting posted on Vimeo. “We were fortunate to receive more than $400,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds from St. Clair County, specifically (from) our former county commissioner Duke Dunn, who now serves on our council. We did budget an extra $100,000 this year for building costs.”
The city sought design input for the structure from the band and choir directors at Marysville High, the Citadel theatre in Port Huron, the Port Huron Civic Theatre, the performing arts center at the community college and the Vertin family, which runs two theatres in Marine City and a new facility in St. Clair.
The city is still looking for money to pay for incidentals, such as lighting and sound.
“We really think this will be a destination site for us,” Fernandez said.
Where all of the other theatre groups in the county focus on indoor theatre, “we’re going to try to bring outdoor theatre to Marysville,” Fernandez said.
The city’s summer concert series will become a mainstay of amphitheatre.
Infuz Ltd. Architects designed the new theatre.
The $7,200 cost for demolishing the old band shell is included in the final bid. The city will try to incorporate a version of the big American flag that now decorates the inside of the band shell into the new facility.
Despite the project being widely advertised, Martin submitted the sole bid on the job.
“I guess the good news is that (the bid) is very close to what we’ve raised so far,” said Fernandez.
The city’s goal is to demolish the old band shell before the snow flies and begin work on the new facility right after that.
The contract completion date is June 15.
“Along with city administration and Vince Cataldo of Infuz Ltd. Architects, we have reviewed the bid of Martin Construction and their qualifications information included with the bid and find them well qualified to complete the work,” said engineer Patrick Phelan of BMJ Engineers & Surveyors, Inc. of Port Huron, in his letter to Fernandez.
Council member Dan Shirkey asked if there were completed projects in the area by Martin Construction.
Yes, said Phelan, pointing to City Flats hotel in Port Huron, Bootleggers Bar, a large pole barn for the city of Port Huron, a hair salon in the Wrigley Center as well as Renaissance Man Distillery.
“I’ve done several construction projects with Martin Construction,” said council member Dunn. “Buck Martin is very qualified and he will do a great job for us.”
Council member Dave Barber asked Phelan about his role in local theater and the impact the new amphitheatre will have in the area.
“I’m the president of Port Huron Civic Theatre,” said Phelan. “I’m directing an upcoming show, ‘A Christmas Story, The Musical.’ We have rehearsal going on right now at the community center around the corner. So I came from there to here and I’ll be heading back over there when I’m done. As a community theater group, we count on using affordable community facilities to do our productions and to keep things reasonably priced for the public and bring high quality entertainment to the public as well. A facility like this gives us the opportunity to do it in an outdoor setting.”
Phelan has used the old band shell for previous performances. But the new theatre, with its professional stage and dressing rooms, will move outdoor theatre to a new level.
“This will be a unique space that really is present anywhere in the area,” Phelan said. “We’re already making plans for next summer.”
Jim Bloch is a freelance writer based in St. Clair, Michigan. Contact him at bloch.jim@gmail.com.
