Charleston's Haddad Park to get permanent stage

Appearing on http://www.wvgazette.com/

June 30, 2009
By Jim Balow
Staff writer

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Haddad Riverfront Park will get a permanent stage along with its new canopy by the end of the year, thanks to a gift by Betty Schoenbaum, city officials announced Tuesday.

Architects from Silling Associates unveiled plans Tuesday morning for what will be called the Schoenbaum Stage -- large enough to hold the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra -- to be built beside the Kanawha River at the base of the Haddad amphitheater.

Designers from Silling and GAI Consultants Inc. had drawn up preliminary plans for such a stage earlier this year for the city's Riverfront Committee. But they moved the project to the back burner after learning the $2.4 federal earmark Sen. Robert C. Byrd obtained for park improvements would cover only higher-priority items -- the canopy, a pavilion/overlook at the foot of Court Street and a floating dock for small boats.

Schoenbaum's gift -- $350,000 from the Schoenbaum Fund -- will pay most of the estimated $500,000 cost of the stage. "I'm confident [City] Council can come up with the remaining $150,000." City Manager David Molgaard said.

Mayor Danny Jones thanked Schoenbaum during Tuesday's Riverfront Committee meeting at City Hall.

"We're more grateful than you'll ever know. It'll be one of the mainstays of our city."

Reach Jim Balow at http://www.wvgazette.com/News/contact/onybj+jitnmrggr+pbz+return=/News/200906300299 or 304-348-5102.