Crews making improvements at Veterans Park ahead of arts festival

Park getting  restroom and concession upgrades, thanks to funds from arts council.

Crews are working in Veterans Park to prepare for construction of a second restroom and concessions facility. The park will remain open to the public while crews complete the final stage of improvements in time for Summer Arts Festival 2010. Staff photo by Marshall Gorby

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By Megan Gildow, Staff Writer Updated 11:26 PM Monday, November 23, 2009

SPRINGFIELD — Construction crews will be working at Veterans Park through the spring to finish improvements in time for 2010’s Summer Arts Festival.

National Trail Parks and Recreation District is overseeing the improvements at the park, but the funding came from the Springfield Arts Council’s efforts, said National Trail Chief Executive Officer Tim Smith.

“The park is still available for use by folks except where the construction is roped off,” Smith said.

The SAC wanted to upgrade the facilities at the park where it has held the Summer Arts Festival for more than 40 years, said Bill Schwartz, development director.

“This coming summer will be our 44th festival, and up until we made these improvements we were doing them under pretty primitive facilities,” he said. “Upgrading the standards of the facilities not only gives us better audience amenities, it also gives us better technical support, which allows us to bring in bigger acts.”

The improvements in the third phase include landscaping and a second facility for restrooms and concessions to mirror one already in the park. The first and second phases included a restroom and concession stand in the east side of the park and upgrades to the stage, control building and stage area.

“Now there’s very few acts we couldn’t bring in,” Schwartz said.

The improvements will be finished in late April or early May if the weather cooperates, Smith said.

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0373 or mgildow@coxohio.com.

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