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Last updated on Thursday, June 11, 2015
(ORLEANS) - With its rich history of live entertainment downtown, the Town of Orleans has been granted $26,500 from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) toward the construction of a permanent performance stage in Congress Square.
Congress Square, which was set aside in the original plat map of Orleans for public use, has been inhabited over the years by the Orleans Grade School and the Orleans Police Department; and it has played host to countless community fairs, festivals, concerts, and other festive occasions throughout the town's 200-year history. The area is truly the heart and soul of Orleans, and now its use will be further enriched by the addition of a permanent stage.
The project, funded in part through OCRA's Place-Based Investment Fund and totaling nearly $78,000, includes construction of a 388-square-foot stage, 18 feet wide and 26 feet long.
With a concrete floor and supported by steel columns, the stage will be faced with block and brick veneer; and the roof structure will be exposed laminate beams and LVL rafter with tongue and groove decking and metal roofing. The overall concept is designed to complement the existing structure in Congress Square, as well as imitate the ambiance of historic buildings such as the Carnegie library and the shelter house that once stood in Sulphur Well Park.
The stage, which will be fully wired for electricity for the ease of musicians and speakers, will be fully accessible and will feature sidewalks leading to it; and the area surrounding it will be fully landscaped in time.
"This new stage will greatly ease the burden of cost and labor involved in many of the downtown's festivals and events," stated Mike Fields, President of the Orleans Town Council. "And it will draw even more interest in performances and events in the downtown area, furthering the development of that area and increasing the number of visitors to Orleans."
The 75-page grant application for the project was prepared by the Orange County Community Foundation, Inc., and represents the Foundation's increasing commitment to development of the Orange County community.
"We are so very pleased to assist the Town of Orleans with this project," stated Imojean Dedrick, the Foundation's Executive Director. "Each and every good thing that happens in Orange County is a triumph for our people and a step
toward building a better community."
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