Construction is underway for Phase I of the Indianola Amphitheater renovation.
Phase I includes the site design, grading & drainage & electrical system, as well as the concrete stage & backstage room, concrete access drive to the stage, entrance & steps, walkway, handicap access ramp to the stage and handicap wheelchair seating.  It also includes turf sloped seating.  This Phase is scheduled for completion by July 1, 2010.

Fundraising through private contributions and grants will begin this summer for Phase II.  Items included in this finishing phase include the stage shade canopy, concrete seating walls, steps & walkways to the back of the stage, concrete steps & handrails, irrigation, back stage roof, area lighting, seed & sod, and landscaping.  The fundraising goal is $280,000.

The amphitheater will be a high quality venue for local, county and regional events, and
is being built to bring in live music & drama performances such as summer school band concerts, community band & chorus performances, drama plays & productions, opera, outdoor church services, music in the park concerts, weddings, outdoor movies and other special events & performances.  There will be easy access to spectator seating and to the stage.


 

Indianola Amphitheater Groundbreaking Ceremony
Saturday, May 15

The Indianola Parks & Recreation Commission will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for the new amphitheater being built at Memorial Park.  The ceremony is open to the public and the Parks & Recreation Commission invites all Indianola and Warren County residents to attend. The ceremony will be on Saturday, May 15, 2010, at 10:00 a.m. at Memorial Park, 714 W. Detroit Ave. in Indianola. Rain location is at the park shelter.

Warren County is one of Iowa’s Great Places and the amphitheater is one of the Warren County Great Place projects with phase I being funded by the City of Indianola, an Iowa Great Places Grant, Warren County Philanthropic Partnership Grant and Indianola Municipal Utilities contributions.  

The ceremony will include the breaking of ground, information about phase 1 and phase II construction, and special recognitions.    Pictorial drawings of the new amphitheater facility will also be on display.  Questions about this event may be directed to the Indianola Parks and Recreation Department at (515) 961-9420

Indianola Parks and Recreation has received a $5,000 grant from Warren County Philanthropic Partnership.

Grant funds will help provide handicap accessible hard surfaced walkways from the skate park, shelter, play equipment and new amphitheater to the new restrooms which will be installed  at Memorial Park in spring of  2010.

The Warren County Philanthropic Partnership was organized to promote and enhance community based philanthropy in Warren County.  The Warren County Philanthropic Partnership recently received a state award to facilitate endowment building and grantmaking.

The contribution to the foundation was made possible by the Iowa General Assembly.  In 2004 the Iowa legislature passed several bills to encourage foundation building and community based philanthropy.  Among these measures was H.F. 2032 which provided that non-gambling counties initiating a county-wide community foundation would be eligible to receive one half of one percent of the state’s gross gambling tax receipts.

Eighteen grant applications were received and eleven organizations across Warren County shared in the funding allocations.