TO: Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Steve Powers, City Manager
FROM: Peter Fernandez, PE, Public Works Director
SUBJECT:
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Preserving an area in Riverfront Park for a performance facility
Ward(s): Ward 1
Councilor(s): Councilor Kaser
Neighborhood(s): CAN DO
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ISSUE:
Shall the City Council reserve an area for a performance facility at the current location of the amphitheater, in advance of completing a full master planning process for Riverfront Park?
RECOMMENDATION:
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Authorize reservation of the area (Attachment 1) for a performance facility at the current location of the amphitheater, in advance of completing a full master planning process for the Riverfront Park.
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SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND:
The Rotary Club of Salem, in celebration of its centennial in 2020, will be donating a new covered stage and supports for lighting, rigging, sound systems, and other features. At this early stage in both Rotary’s fundraising and the City’s master planning process for Riverfront Park, staff recommends Council approve the proposed area to be reserved and incorporated into the new Riverfront Park Master Plan. The purpose of Council’s adoption of Attachment 1 ahead of the full master planning process is to reserve the amphitheater space for the planned donation by the Rotary Club of Salem. Council’s action will provide assurance to potential contributors that this area has been reserved specifically for the new performance facility and potential future enhancements to the area peripheral to the stage, avoiding any potential conflicts on plans and intentions during the public process for the new master plan.
In 2018, the City will conduct a public process leading to a new master plan for Riverfront Park. A new Riverfront Park Master Plan is expected to come to Council for adoption in late-2018 or early-2019. Riverfront Park consists of 23 acres of developed park property and 3.8 acres of undeveloped land.
The proposal to donate a covered stage was positively received by members of the Salem Parks and Recreation Advisory Board when it was presented at their meeting on January 12, 2017. The Board also responded favorably to reserving a footprint for the performance facility at their March 9, 2017, meeting.
The construction phase is expected to begin in 2019 and the new facility is targeted to be completed in early-2020.
The new stage will be situated at site of the current raised platform of the Amphitheater. The area recommended to be reserved for the future donated covered stage and other potential improvements to the Amphitheater, seating area, and peripheral space is approximately 2.2 acres. Depending on the total amount of funds raised by Rotary and the City’s ability to secure additional funding from other sources, the project may also include improvements to the seating area and the spaces peripheral to the stage.
FACTS AND FINDINGS:
This project is a public/private partnership between the Rotary Club of Salem and the City of Salem. The Rotary Club of Salem is responsible for raising all the funds necessary for constructing the stage, cover, and ancillary elements, and for conducting the selection process leading to Council’s approval of a final design. The Rotary Club of Salem is also responsible for ensuring bid-ready construction documents are delivered to the City of Salem. The City will be responsible for managing project construction, which includes bidding, contracting, permitting, inspections, and related services.
Staff believes that the cost for the donated facility will be between $1 million and $2 million. The Rotary Club of Salem will conduct a two-year fundraising effort for the project commencing in the spring 2017. Design and funding to effect changes to the area peripheral to the covered stage, such as seating, walkways, lighting, landscaping, and fencing, are not initially included in the Rotary-backed portion of the project. The degree to which improvements in this area are incorporated into the overall project depends on the total amount of funds made available by Rotary and on the City’s ability to secure funding from other sources
Concurrent with the fundraising effort, the Rotary Club of Salem will conduct a public process to solicit feedback on various conceptual designs for the facility. The design selection process consists of two phases. In the first phase, a public process will be conducted during which feedback will be solicited on potential designs. In the second phase, the preferred design will be brought before the Salem Parks and Recreation Advisory Board for endorsement and then to City Council for approval in 2018. The second phase concludes with bid-ready construction documents delivered by the Rotary Club of Salem to the City of Salem, which will then assume responsibility for project construction. Attachment 2 contains early renderings of potential designs for the enhanced performance facility.
Many of the amenities currently located in Riverfront Park have been donated over the past 20 years. Examples include: Salem Riverfront Carousel (1996), Salem Living Christmas Tree (1996), Rotary Children’s Playground (1997), Eco-Earth Globe (2003), Salem Rotary Centennial Pavilion (2005), Tom McCall Memorial (2008), Asher Anderson Spray Fountain (2009), Angel of Hope Statue (2011), and number of bench seats, covered tables, plantings, and landscaped areas.
Attachments:
1. Area to be preserved for stage, seating area, and peripheral space for future donated facility at Riverfront Park
2. Early Draft Conceptual Designs for Enhanced Performance Facility at Riverfront Park
3/15/17