The Village of Mineola announced that it purchased a bandshell 73-feet wide and 38-feet deep last week. The bandshell is part of the ongoing revamp of Memorial Park, which is set for significant upgrades in 2014.
Built by Michigan-based Porter Corporation, the bandshell cost $78,185 and will be paid for by development incentive bonus funding, which consists of monies Mineola has received from other projects.
The bandshell would be built on the south end of the park near the Mineola Memorial Library and stand 22 feet high at its peak. Lighting will be installed for security, according to officials.
“This is the first physical piece that we’re going to see come in,” Mayor Scott Strauss said. “We’re hoping it gets here quick.”
The stage itself would be raised four feet to combat any weather issues. Most of the walkways and light fixtures throughout Memorial Park will be replaced as part of the renovation project.
“This is in addition to the site work that was already done,” Village Clerk Joseph Scalero said. “We’ve already done the engineering work, the preparation for the actual structure.”
Mineola will also build a new gazebo. The previous structure was torn down shortly after Hurricane Irene in 2011.
The village is planning to build the gazebo on the northeast corner of the park near the intersection of Jackson Avenue and Marcellus Road, officials said. Repairing park tennis courts is also planned, but is still in an early phase, according to village officials.
The stage would need to be large enough to hold big band concerts like the Nassau Pops Symphony Orchestra, which performs at the park twice per year. However, Mayor Scott Strauss said he would like to see a stage that’s also intimate in size for smaller productions.
“We’re not looking to make it overly big,” Public Works Superintendent Tom Rini said at a recent village meeting. “The Nassau Pops is a group that utilizes it, but if we have smaller groups, they could get lost in something large. This would fit the park really well.”
