Painesville breaks ground for amphitheater project -The News-Herald
Published by: The News-Herald
By: Bryson Durst
Original article found here
Painesville officials recently broke ground on a planned amphitheater, and they expect it to be ready to open next spring.
The groundbreaking celebration was held on Oct. 21. The amphitheater will be located near the entrance to Kiwanis Recreation Park and down the hill from the upcoming Grand River Walk development at 257 E. Main St.
City Council President Jim Fodor said that communities need places for celebrations.
“People like nothing more than to celebrate with song and dance, and I think that’s what the amphitheater is all about is bringing people together,” Fodor said.
He added that the amphitheater will provide a lot of activity and energy.
“I think that’s currently what Painesville has experienced, bringing a lot of life and energy to the area, and this is a piece of the puzzle,” Fodor said.
City Manager Doug Lewis described the groundbreaking as “the beginning of something truly special” for Painesville. He said it will bring people together for art, music, celebrations and community.
According to Lewis, the amphitheater is “another major step forward” in efforts to revitalize Downtown Painesville.
“This project represents more than just a new venue,” he said. “It’s an investment in our community’s future. It complements the other improvements we’ve made downtown – like the new Grand River Walk building you see above, managed by Marous.”
Northfield-based Town Center Construction is building the amphitheater, Lewis said. In recent meetings, he added that the project bid price was $1.95 million, below the city’s previous estimate of $2.1 million.
Previous city reports have stated that $1.35 million of project funding will come from outside sources like grants, American Rescue Plan Act dollars and state capital funding. The remaining money will come from city funds.
Lewis expects substantial completion on the project by the end of the year, with the remaining items to be completed by the spring.
“When we stand here again for the ribbon-cutting, hopefully in the spring with lots of sunshine and warm weather, we’ll see not just a beautiful facility, but a symbol of what can happen when collaboration and community spirit comes together,” Lewis said.