Local News

Riverside Park band shell project progresses with trees

Published

5 years ago

June 30, 2019

When a tree falls near La Crosse, it becomes part of the sounds coming to Riverside Park. The Band Shell Consortium started staining whole trees that will be used to create a new canopy on Friday. This idea started after the city of La Crosse committed $1 million to repair and renovate the Riverside Park stage but had no plans for an acoustic shell. Co-chair of the Band Shell Consortium Terry Bauer said he was thrilled with the community’s support for this privately funded project.

“I think it is going to be a landmark for the city of La Crosse with the renovated stage and this beautiful, majestic, whole tree, canopy that ties into the logging history of La Crosse,” Bauer said.

The canopy mirrors the architectural blue bridges, according to Bauer. He said there has not been a band shell for performers in more than 50 years.

The consortium hoped to start installing the design by the end of August to have a dedication in conjunction with the Hoeschler Fountain. The group is still seeking donations. They have raised $690,000 of the targeted $800,000 goal.

Kaitlyn Riley

Kaitlyn Riley’s passion for communications started on her family’s dairy farm in Gays Mills, Wis. Wanting to share agriculture’s story, she studied strategic communications and broadcast journalism at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In college, she held officer positions with the Association of Women in Agriculture and Badger Dairy Club while volunteering as a news reporter for the college radio station. She also founded the university’s first agricultural radio talk show, AgChat. In her professional career, Kaitlyn has worked in radio, print and television news doing everything from covering local events to interviewing presidential candidates, and putting back on her barn boots to chat with farmers in the field. Today, Kaitlyn can be seen covering local stories that matter to you in the La Crosse area.