Dedicated pavers to raise money for Riverside Park bandstand canopy

Those raising money for a new canopy over the Riverside Park bandstand in La Crosse hope inscribed bricks will help pave the way.

Terry Bauer with Rotary and Moon Tunes says other projects that have been funded through dedicated pavers have shown that fundraising technique can be successful, and for good reason.

“I think people want to be part of history,” Bauer said. “If you walk through any park or a building some gov entity built, their names are listed there, the date’s there. You’re kind of memorialized.

“I just think people like to have that connectivity to this project.”

The pavers are planned for an area near the new seats in front of the bandstand. They can be purchased for a minimum donation of $1,000.

Bauer says if all the pavers available are sold, more than $600,000 could be raised for the canopy. That’s more than the half million needed to build a canopy over the bandstand that’s currently undergoing a renovation.

The city’s park board will decide today whether to approve the paver idea.

The 80-year-old bandstand is currently undergoing a renovation that should be done by May. A canopy would go up after that.

Rendering of the canopy to go over the Riverside Park bandstand.