Chippewa Falls
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Riverfront Park Amphitheater
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8/13/2020
The City of Chippewa Falls worked to create the impressive $15 million Riverfront Park for 20 years. The Minneapolis Cunningham Group and JJR (now the SmithGroup) designed the 2007 Downtown Riverfront Plan, which turned a blighted area with old commercial and industrial buildings along the Chippewa River into a seven acre park. Because much of the land is on a flood plain, careful planning had to be made to locate park amenities.
The concept design process for Phase I was planned by SEH, Inc. and JJR and completed in 2014. Final design Phase I was completed in 2016 and for Phase II in 2018. Funding for Phase II, which included the amphitheater with a grassy lawn for up to 3,000 people, cost $2 million which the City raised privately. Heartland Contractors won the bid for this part of the project.
A project summary of the amphitheater with its canopy by Tension Structures (who also provided the canopy at 400 Block, Wausau) describes various details of its development. Phase I included purchasing and razing old buildings, landscaping the area with removal of old trees, adding bike and hiking paths, amphitheater seating, riverfront plazas, and installing utilities. Phase II added the amphitheater, picnic structures, restroom, Bay Street entry plaza and an additional water feature. Phase III started in 2019 and develop Allen Park trails (across the street from the amphitheater) which connects to the Riverfront Park along with pavilion for the farmers market.
The Inaugural Riverfront Park concert series was from Sunday, June 16, 2019, through August 4, 2019. On August 11, 2019, the City of Chippewa Falls celebrated its 150th anniversary with an afternoon of music. The 2020 concert season was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic and limited in the 2021 season.
The concept design process for Phase I was planned by SEH, Inc. and JJR and completed in 2014. Final design Phase I was completed in 2016 and for Phase II in 2018. Funding for Phase II, which included the amphitheater with a grassy lawn for up to 3,000 people, cost $2 million which the City raised privately. Heartland Contractors won the bid for this part of the project.
A project summary of the amphitheater with its canopy by Tension Structures (who also provided the canopy at 400 Block, Wausau) describes various details of its development. Phase I included purchasing and razing old buildings, landscaping the area with removal of old trees, adding bike and hiking paths, amphitheater seating, riverfront plazas, and installing utilities. Phase II added the amphitheater, picnic structures, restroom, Bay Street entry plaza and an additional water feature. Phase III started in 2019 and develop Allen Park trails (across the street from the amphitheater) which connects to the Riverfront Park along with pavilion for the farmers market.
The Inaugural Riverfront Park concert series was from Sunday, June 16, 2019, through August 4, 2019. On August 11, 2019, the City of Chippewa Falls celebrated its 150th anniversary with an afternoon of music. The 2020 concert season was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic and limited in the 2021 season.
The Park sponsors are recognized in several signages arranged by donation amount, located on S. River Street adjacent to the concession stand.
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