Proposed Project Set to Take Center Stage at Shelton Park

Shelton Park could soon be a go to venue for local musical artists, theatrical performers, or speakers for the Claremont colleges.

The Claremont City Council Tuesday night voted 5-0 to approve in concept a plan to construct a permanent stage at the park and enter into an agreement with the Village Marketing Group and the Claremont Chamber of Commerce.
The Village Marketing Group, which is a chamber committee, will fund the $100,000 project and work with the city to get it built.

Mayor Opanyi Nasiali kicked off the fundraising effort by donating $100 to the effort.

"This is the first time a project has come to the city and nobody is asking the city to pay for it," he said before handing over a check.  "Now you have to raise $99,900."
The original plan called for the group to construct the stage and then after completion, "gift it" to the city, according to staff.  However, because the project is on city property and Claremont must follow local and state requirements related to purchasing, the bidding process, and prevailing wage, according to the staff report for council.

Melissa Vollaro, community and human services manager, said an event a couple of years ago at the park sparked the idea for the permanent stage.

The plan calls for the 210-square-foot stage to be built near the corner of Bonita and Harvard.

"The placement was selected for sound and visual reasons to project towards the Village and away from the residents and the Claremont colleges," Vollaro said.

The project calls for two trees to be removed, she said.  Three others also will be taken out due to poor health.  The plan includes planting five replacement trees, one California sycamore, two pink trumpets, and two Chinese elms, she said.
Once the group raises 75 percent of the $100,000 needed, the city will start the informal bidding process. Requests for proposals will go out once all of the funds, which the city will keep in an account, are collected. she said.

The city does not have a policy for the use of performance stages, but staff is working on it and plans to bring one to the council in the fall. Claremont also plans to institute a special event permit for the venue, she said.

Catherine Curtis, a Claremont business owner and resident representing the Village Marketing Group, said that the idea behind the performance stage at the park is to serve as a bridge between the colleges and the community.  The stage also will provide a place for events on the older side of the Village, she said.

"We would really enjoy the opportunity to provide this as a resource to the community," she said.

Paul Wheeler, the architect designing the project, said the stage is a much needed place for children to perform.

"We need a place for the kids to beat the bongos and play the guitar," he said.  "This will be a great place to get together and be what Claremonsters are all about."