Community rallies to rebuild City Park bandstand
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The burned City Park bandstand. Photo: Timothy Hurst/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images
Donations are pouring in to rebuild the City Park bandstand and save this summer's City Park Jazz, with tens of thousands of dollars raised so far.
Why it matters: After a devastating loss caused by a fire, the fundraising effort signals strong support for the historic bandstand and for keeping this year's weekly Sunday music event on track.
State of play: Denver Fire last week called the 97-year-old bandstand a "total loss." Fundraising efforts have since drawn more than $23,000 from 600+ supporters as of Friday afternoon.
- The Denver Park Trust, City Park Alliance, City Park Friends and Neighbors and the city's Parks and Recreation Department are collaborating to raise at least $75,000.
The latest: 9 News' Kyle Clark this week said the station's Word of Thanks Fund, which raises money for local causes through micro-giving, will contribute $40,000.
- The city estimates it will cost about $250,000 to rebuild the bandstand after insurance, Clark added.
Zoom in: The fire remains under investigation, Denver Fire operations division chief Robert Murphy told us Friday.
Meanwhile, City Park Jazz — the annual free summer concert series hosted at the bandstand — plans to use a mobile stage for this year's 40th anniversary season.
- The stage will most likely be placed near the southeast corner of the City Park Pavilion.
Between the lines: Since the fire, people have donated about $10,000 toward City Park Jazz, a 501(c)(3), marketing director David Flomberg tells us.
- Yes, but: That means the nonprofit is still $30,000 short of covering operations for this year's festival.
The free music event regularly draws approximately 10,000 people a show.
What they're saying: "We know that what we do supports a lot of underserved communities," Flomberg tells us, adding the shows regularly attract attendees with "extremely tight budgets."
Donations for the bandstand repair and for City Park Jazz can be made online.
- This year's festival will kick off on June 7 with the DJ Williams Band.