Forks Township Band Shell

Forks Township Band Shell, Amphitheater, or call it what it is “A shaded Skate Park” was started 4 years ago as a retirement tribute to 2 outgoing Supervisors. Plan 1 cost $40,000.00 to draw, plus a few thousand more in review costs. If I remember the lowest bid was $350,000.00 and Supervisord deemed this too high.

Plan 2 was to tweak plan one. The Restrooms, Parking, and most of the Hardscaping and Landscaping were removed. This plan still bid out too high. The recently approved plan is nothing more then a Sun Shade stretched over a Concrete Pad. No Acoustics, weather protection, Parking or Restrooms. The Price $250,000.00 and what will it be used for and what will it cost to put on an event, who will pay for it.

The 19^th century Band Shell was the center of the community before Air Conditioning Amplification and Radio. In today’s Air Conditioned Society an outdoor weather dependant facility has little use. From the start this facility had little support outside of the Board of Supervisors.

Let’s discuss the events Supervisors plan for this facility

Puppet shows: A puppet show is a very intimate event, where small groups of Children gather around a small stage to watch a show. Seeing the plans for this facility the Puppet Stage would 15 feet from the closest seating. It’s hard to believe we can’t put on a puppet show without these facilities. We have the main Recreation Facilities, The Wrestling Center and several Pavilion’s with seating parking and Rest Room Facilities.

Movies: The Cost of putting on a single show could cost a few thousand dollars. To show a Movie Forks Township would need to hire a company with Outdoor Projection and Sound Equipment. Put aside another $1000.00 for portable Rest Rooms, and unless the Supervisors are showing 1940’s Army Training Films Licensing Fees need to be paid. (You can’t just go to Net flicks and rent a movie to be shown commercially.

Live Entertainment: Yes you can get a Crappy Garage Band for free but, even hiring a band for a few hundred dollars the additional costs of hiring Security, Electrical Engineer and renting Bathroom Facilities will add $2000.00 to the event. Did anyone consider with no built in Acoustics or sound barriers how the amplification will affect the residents nearby. The Speakers will be pointed towards the homes

Supervisors have been touting the ability to shake down the Business Community to build and operate this facility. However the Business Community hasn’t been beating down the doors for the naming rights of this Facility even after Supervisors started a Business Group to fund projects like this.

What would be a good name? “________ Pizza Pavilion.

The Business Community is hurting and Forks Township Supervisors have done little to support them in the past

This Project will cost taxpayers $350,000.00 or more before it is finished. It was approved with little Public input or a test.

What do I mean by a Test? Forks Township could have rented a Temporary Band Shell for some trial events or put on test events at some of our other facilities.

The Band Shell in the Picture can be rented. This structure is capable of withstanding weather that would make the current design unusable.

The last time I checked the cost to purchase the Band Shell in the picture was about $20,000.00 or ½ the price of the first set of plans Supervisors Scrapped