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Residents urge Wheatland to restore Lewis Park band shell; town eyes Wyoming Community Gas funds
Summary
Speakers told the Wheatland City Council the historic Lewis Park band shell, donated in the early 2000s, is in disrepair and asked the town to pursue maintenance. The town noted it received $11,335 from Wyoming Community Gas and instructed staff to seek quotes and potential grant options.
Residents and relatives of the donor of the Lewis Park band shell told the Wheatland City Council that the structure is weathered and needs substantial maintenance.
Vicky Mickelson and Dan (surname not specified in the record) described the band shell’s history and condition. Dan said his aunt, Molly Lipscomb, donated toward the band shell after returning to Wheatland in November 2002; the council record shows the structure was dedicated on Aug. 9, 2003. Dan said the donor’s gift was “somewhere between a $100 and a $150,000” toward the original construction.
Mickelson displayed recent photos and said the shell appears to need sanding and a full refinish. “It's just gone into such disrepair,” she said. Speakers reported faded stain, graffiti-removal scars, overgrown landscaping at the base of the shell and questions about whether built-in irrigation or sprinklers have damaged lower boards.
Residents and council members proposed several steps: have staff obtain three quotes for professional sanding and refinishing; review whether the town’s existing maintenance budget covers regular upkeep; consider more protective measures to deter vandalism; and evaluate longer-term options such as painting instead of stain if maintenance demands are high.
A resident offered donated stain and a volunteer sanding effort; another noted that parts of the landscape originally installed by local Boy Scouts are now overgrown but that “it's still good underneath.”
Council members noted the town received a community rebate check from Wyoming Community Gas this year in the amount of $11,335 and said those funds or grant opportunities through the Wyoming Community Gas program could be applied to park projects. The council suggested the gas program funds could serve as seed money for a restoration project and noted the town is eligible to apply for grants that program offers every few years.
Council members directed staff to explore quotes and funding options and to return with a recommended approach. No binding budget appropriation was approved at the meeting.
