Band Shell

In 2003, Marshall Rotary Band applied for funds from Marshall Rotary Club, Marshall Rotary Foundation, Cronin Foundation, and Marshall Community Foundation. All responded with their very best effort, and a total of $87,500 was dedicated to this project. The contributions were as follows:

$25,000 Frances Stevens Stuart

$25,000 Rotary Club and Foundation

$25,000 Cronin Foundation

$12,500 Marshall Community Foundation

This amount was close enough to the estimated $90,000 to begin the construction of a permanent band shell at the west end of Stuart’s Landing near the Kalamazoo River, the exact location suggested by Frances Stuart herself shortly before she passed away. The target completion date was set at June 16 (2004) which was the first scheduled concert of the 2004 summer season.

The Marshall Community Foundation granted an additional $4,400 in 2005 for sidewalk improvements and musician seating at the band shell.

The following businesses were the builders of the new band shell: VanWormer Excavating, Duckworth Bros. Concrete, John Thomas Masonry, Marshall Welding, Cook Construction, Taylor James Concrete, and Sink Electric. The following businesses provided materials: Bosker Brick, Darling Hardware, Marshall Lumbertown, Quality Engraving, Marshall Building Components, A1 Flagpoles, Full Compass Sound Equipment, Wenger Music Corporation, and Mastellar Music.

The completed structure shows the acoustically-shaped walls and ceiling and a raised stage area that accommodates approximately 50 musicians. The back of the shell contains a 10’ X 20’ storage room which protects chairs, music stands, and sound equipment. The stone-faced concrete block walls and cedar ceiling and trim provides a maintenance-friendly cultural enhancement to the pleasant park setting. The shell contains convenient electrical and sound-amplification wiring and also after-dark stage lighting. The final project included a nice sound system, a flagpole, and a set of music stands and chairs.

The official ground-breaking ceremony was a cold Monday, March 22, at 9 A.M. Mayor John F. Miller and other city officials, Marshall Rotary Band members, and representatives from the funding organizations were on hand for this news event.

During the spring months of 2010, an additional 468 square feet was added to the original stage area, and the original sidewalk in front of the band shell was relocated to make room for the 6-foot stage extension. This project was fully funded by the Marshall Community Foundation and the Marshall Cronin Foundation. The contractors who constructed this $15,000 project were DeForest Bros. Concrete, Clayborn Excavating, Ben Thomas Masonry, and Toyzan Mushroom House Landscaping.

Tom Johnson

Tom Johnson, a certified engineer, transformed the list of desired characteristics and rough sketches into actual blueprints.

Dennis Smith

Dennis Smith, MCB President, became Project Manager, and he gathered bids from local businesses for the various stages of construction.

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