One of the most popular locations in Forest Park was returned to the community this weekend as the fences were removed and the Seuffert Bandshell was re-opened to the public. A few months ago we brought the good news that there was visible progress at the bandshell -- and on Saturday afternoon we drove by and were very happy to see people enjoying the restored seating area.
First, a quick look back at how the benches looked last summer -- the wood was rotting, the paint was peeling -- there were some benches that were missing huge chucks of wood and couldn't be sat upon. People coming to see the shows often brought cushions to avoid getting splinters!
Here is the bandshell yesterday afternoon. It was around 96 degrees on Saturday -- so we were grateful that so much of the seating area is covered by shade. Last summer, we spent a lot of afternoons here -- we'd grab a book to read, maybe pick up a sandwich -- we'd sit in the shade and pass a few hours. So we were glad to see the fences down and nice new benches.
As you can see below, they created some beautiful new areas of greenery along the main aisle -- they are still protected by fencing -- it will be nice to see this path once it's all grown up.
We sat in the shade a while -- there wasn't too many people around. Granted, it was a steamy day -- but a lot of folks probably don't know it's open yet. If we hadn't driven by we wouldn't have known, either.
Here's another shot of the bandshell from the center aisle -- notice the fresh coat of white paint? Can't wait to see a show here -- the first show is Wednesday, August 4th at 7:30 PM -- Shirley Alston Reeves, a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and a member of the Shirelles. Click here to see a list of all the shows that will be held here this summer.
Once again . . . last summer --
And this summer --
Here's a little panorama shot we took -- it really is a nice, large open space -- click here to see an insanely large version of this panorama -- please note that it may take a minute or two to load.
The Parks Department did a great job -- many thanks to them, our elected officials -- this was a project spearheaded by our CM Elizabeth Crowley -- this is truly an area to be proud of!
One last note -- and this isn't a complaint, mind you, it's a word of caution -- it was an extremely hot day on Saturday and the sun was strong -- the seats in the sun were extremely hot -- so, on a really hot day, a seat in the shade is extra-recommended! Now . . . about that Carousel . . . . Related Stories:
A Peek Behind the Bandshell
The Dome - (w/ old pics)
Our Top 10 Bandshell Pictures
New Benches in Place
Visible Progress at the Bandshell
Bikers Rally Against Breast Cancer If you have any comments, or would like to suggest other projects, drop us a line at info@projectwoodhaven.com or projectwoodhaven@aol.com .
