LIMA — Three local businesses presented a check to the Lima Rotary Community Stage and Park project Monday during the Lima Rotary Club meeting at the Lima Memorial Civic and Convention Center.
Organizations who donated toward the project include Touchstone/Tuttle, $25,000; Hometown Stations, $10,000; and HCF Management, a Lima nursing home, $10,000.
Construction of the $2.5 million amphitheater and park that will be located at the corner of Spring and Union Streets behind Old City Prime is expected to begin in 2020. Demolition at the site began in September. The 800-seat amphitheater will feature a sloped Astro Turf lawn with a wind/rain canopy over the audience area. South of the amphitheater will be a large park for community use with space for the YMCA and other organizations to hold classes and events.
South of the amphitheater will be a large park for community use with space.
Scott Unverferth, HCF Management, said the nursing home has been in the Lima community for over 50 years and felt it was a worthwhile project.
“Hopefully the amphitheater brings more economic activity downtown and makes an attractive place for families. When you have a great place for families, you have a great place for communities,” Unverferth said.
Jeff Fitzgerald, Hometown Stations news director, said the amphitheater is a great community project.
“When we talked about it we thought it was a great community project the entire community can use,” Fitzgerald said.
He said it will be a good addition to revitalize downtown Lima.
Ken Dysert, Rotary president, said Rotary previously donated $800,000 toward the project. There is a total of $1 million that has currently been raised by businesses and organizations for the project.
“We have the ground leveled and demolition began in September with the project being done in two phases,” Dysert said.
Phase one that is nearly completed is leveling off the ground and planting seed. The second phase is beginning construction of the amphitheater with plans to open in fall 2020.
“This is something that will serve so many organizations and we can partner with the YMCA and Art Space Lima to do various classes outside,” Dysert said.
He said Rotary is about service before self and the organization tries to help as many people in the community as it can.
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