West Chicago may add band shell at Reed-Keppler Park

West Chicago officials again are considering installing a band shell in Reed-Keppler Park — years after the idea was first floated.

Executive Director Gary Major said the park district has been in talks with the city to put together a plan for the structure in hopes of having it ready for programming by late spring 2017.

“It's extremely exciting because it gives us a venue — a resource to expand programming to offer things we couldn't offer in the past,” he said.

Officials say the project is expected to cost between $400,000 and $500,000 and will be paid for primarily by the city. The park district covered initial planning and evaluation costs and will be fully responsible for setting up programming at the venue, which Major said will likely include small concerts, dance performances, seasonal shows and other special events.

“It's a very beautiful spot in the park that a lot of people don't get to,” he said. The proposed location is full of mature trees on the northeast side of the park, where mud volleyball games used to be held during the annual Railroad Days Festival, he added.

City Administrator Michael Guttman said the idea dated back to former Mayor Michael Kwasman. Several locations in the city were considered, but it was agreed that Reed-Keppler Park, 129 W. National St., was best because it was a good distance from noisy trains passing through town.

However, Kwasman and some members of the city's infrastructure committee couldn't agree on design concepts drawn up about five years ago, and the project was put on hold.

Guttman said the city council has repeatedly included $400,000 in the budget for the band shell project. This week, the infrastructure committee met again to take a closer look at project details and discuss what needs to be done to move the work forward.

For now, the proposal is to construct an elevated 40-by-30-foot stage with a barrel roof, along with handicap-accessible walkways.

One of the biggest hurdles for the project is mitigating any impact the new structure might have on the park's wetland area. That requires coordination with DuPage County and keeping the project footprint at less than 2,500 square feet.

“Hopefully we get DuPage County to sign off,” Guttman said. “We have to figure out a way to compensate being there.”