The gate in the construction fence around Monteith Riverpark was open Tuesday when I came by on the bike, so I walked in.
The new stage at Monteith Riverpark looks almost finished, and on Tuesday I took advantage of an open gate in the construction fence to walk in and take a closer look.
They’re still working on the floor of the stage, but the roof and ceiling look finished.
Looking up at the wooden ceiling or soffit of the stage.
I asked City Engineer Staci Belcastro if that was really wood up there.
“Yes, it is a wood ceiling,” she replied via email. “The stage soffit was constructed with cedar planking treated with a cedar-colored stain.”
The dots you see in the overhead are hooks and stage lighting for use during concerts.
Looks like a bull’s eye in front of the community center, the former senior center.
I also wondered about the concentric circles in front of the former senior center, now the Riverfront Community Center.
Belcastro told me that K&E Excavating, the main contractor for the city’s Waterfront Project, was installing pavers in the circular grooves.
This circular plaza, she explained, will be the new entrance to the center. It can be used to drop off and pick up people at the center, and to access the parking lot to the west.
In front of the center there will be two ADA parking spaces. Four more handicapped spaces will be to the west of the entrance.
Here’s a look at the refurbished western riverview pier. The walk out there is a metal grating.
Work on the eastern of the two riverview piers had resumed on Wednesday, March 13.
The work on Monteith Riverpark is supposed to be mosly finished in time for the first River Rhythms concert in July.
Reconstruction of the western blocks of Water Avenue, from the park entrance to the Willamette River bridges, has been delayed until the fall.
The $21.5 million Waterfront Project is the crowning effort of CARA, the central area urban renewal program begun in 2021.
The cited dollar amount is for construction contracts along the riverfront. If you add the council-approved cost of the contract for design, CARA’s total cost of the riverfront effort is about $24.6 million. (hh)
I wonder how long that roof will last in a heavy wind?
Exactly how much did the city pay for a stage and roof pavillion? Wow-what a disappointment as I hope the wind and rain never visit during a concert.
These old man comments are hilarious. Angry at anything and everything as a conspiracy and a boondoggle.
Exactly WHAT was angry?
Time will tell as I consistently hear concerns about parking and ease of access for the senior population, but then again it is no longer a senior center.
Think “nature.” It’s a Park. The wood compensates for the lack of green, which has been removed and replaced with cement.
Haha I agree with Matthew. It is always the same people in these comments complaining about anything that happens. Just enjoy things lol.
Both Brandon and Matthew must have worked for the government and never had to meet a payroll deadline as a business owner or they wouldn’t be in favor of wasting public monies. This country was built by individuals such as Steve Yee, Phil Knight and other entrepreneurs, not government workers who love to waste taxpayers dollars. I notice the most popular blog in Albany was created by a private individual, not a public employee.
lol, no. But nice try. We’re likely both not boomers who are upset at any public expenditure.
Oh please.
The luddites lost.
Old school good grief, try some brandy!
and Im older than you no doubt!
In 2023 Nike paid zero federal taxes, yep look it up.
So I guess fire, police, teachers all just wasting your precious tax dollars.
Anything else scrooge?
Oh those good old drunk, smelly Albany days just sound so lovely.
Right.
I’ll bet Nike paid more in social security taxes than any other Oregon corporation paid in income taxes. The average payroll taxes paid by companies and their employees is twice the income taxes withheld from their employees as very few employees making $50,000 pay any income taxes. The Democrats closed the separate social security fund in 1965 to fund the Vietnam war and Johnson’s campaign war on poverty.
The stage looks like a cheap picnic table lol a very expensive cheap picnic table. I think that it will end up being a very expensive kite.