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Stage at Talleyrand committee seeks council support as grants and site options evolve
Summary
Volunteers told council their Stage at Talleyrand committee has $1 million in DCED funding, has applied for a $300,000 Lowe’s grant and is weighing two park locations while pausing broader fundraising until site and water‑authority issues are resolved.
Rick Jacobs and volunteers with the Stage at Talleyrand committee updated Bellefonte Borough Council on a multi‑year effort to build an outdoor stage at Talleyrand Park and asked the council to consider a vote on the group’s request at the next meeting.
Jacobs said the committee (which formed a 501(c)(3) Friends of Talleyrand organization) secured a $1 million grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) and has raised about $75,000 privately. The group has applied for a $300,000 Lowe’s grant that would be awarded this summer and must be spent by Thanksgiving if received, Jacobs said.
The committee presented a brief project history: HLA Architects was hired after a competitive process in 2022; initial designs were revised downward in response to community feedback; the committee planned a maintenance endowment equal to roughly 10% of the capital budget to support operations and upkeep. Jacobs said the committee paused broader fundraising in May 2024 given uncertainty about site availability connected to the borough’s lease changes (Pelican occupying a former Subway building temporarily) and a water authority project to uncover the Big Spring.
Jacobs and other volunteers described two preferred locations in Talleyrand Park. The original site at the park entrance offers visibility but more exposure to road noise; an alternative site near the railroad bridge would provide greater sound isolation and stay clear of the water authority’s work. Jacobs said architects have considered floodplain constraints and would build up the stage platform as required by design.
Committee members emphasized volunteer and donor interest but said some supporters want a clear council commitment before giving larger gifts. Mike Desmond, a volunteer, said the park already hosts dozens of community events and that a larger stage would expand opportunities for local groups. Kate Kustenbauter, a professional fundraiser on the committee, said she has donor contacts ready to contribute if the project advances.
Jacobs told council the committee expects to request a vote at the council’s next meeting. The group said it wants a council decision soon because grant deadlines — including the DCED funds and the potential Lowe’s award — impose time limits on when construction can begin and on spending the money already awarded.
No formal action on the stage was taken at this meeting; the presentation was informational and followed by a request for council consideration at the next business meeting.
