Amphitheater project music to board’s ears

How does a concert in Civic Center park sound?
Well, it’ll sound a whole lot better if the township’s plans to build a new amphitheater finally come to fruition.
At their regular meeting March 16, the Orion Township Board of Trustees took one step closer to realize the project.
In a 6-1 vote, the board approved Township Supervisor Matt Gibb and Tom Berger to act as the project managers with a budget not to exceed $150,000.
‘It’s a far cry from the $300,000 that’s in the cost estimate,? Gibb said. ‘The idea here is, let’s get the thing done.?
Instead, using a pre-fabricated theater, the project would involve only putting in $80,000 to $100,000 from the general capital improvement instead of the $200,000, a number bandied about when the project was bid under the former board.
While the previous plans involved custom-designed, using a pre-fab amphitheater would be a big cost-saving tool, Gibb said. He’s been in contact with communities like Sparta, Mich. who have similar theaters.
‘They loved it. It was easy. They look very natural. It was described as putting together Lincoln logs. They saved a significant amount of money,? Gibb said.
Looking at the plans, members of the board concurred.
‘I just love the pre-fab,? said Treasurer Alice Young.
Access to where the amphitheater would be located in the park has been questioned. Gibb said the township’s spoken with the Road Commission of Oakland County (RCOC) who said a new entry from Baldwin Road would be necessary.
‘It’s not just for handicap, but for delivery of equipment and services,? Gibb said. ‘It becomes very difficult to use this where it sits down in the hole of the amphitheater if you don’t have some ability to access it.?
The lone dissenting vote came from Trustee JoAnn Van Tassel, who said she is in support of the amphitheater, and has been so for a long time, yet didn’t like the way the project was being put together.
She said she’d rather see some of the costs for things like earth work and concrete, separated and perhaps bid out in phases.
‘I would have rather seen it broken up that way,? she said.
In regard to the safety path that would run through the park, she added, ‘I think we could save a considerable amount. I expected a greater reduction of costs than what I see there.?
Van Tassel said she’d like to see it come back before the board.
‘I’m concerned about the looseness of this proposal,? she said.