HAPO Community Stage almost ready for its close up

The latest addition to Richland’s civic landscape is shaping up at John Dam Plaza.

The $1.1 million HAPO Community Stage is about 95 percent complete and will begin holding events as early as March.

The official grand opening will include an April 8 open house and a full day of speeches and performances the following day.

Richland first dreamed of adding a concrete pad to serve small performances at John Dam Plaza in the 1980s. That gave way to a bigger vision when the city began its Live at Five Thursday night concert series and Friday night movie events in the park near the federal building.

The popularity of the summer events inspired David Bryant, senior parks planner, to develop plans for a proper stage with an acoustical shell, bowl-shaped seating, pads for vendors and other amenities. The stage was included in the city’s 2010 master plan for John Dam Plaza, a park it acquired from the Atomic Energy Commission.

The budget is funded by a mix of public grants and private donations. HAPO Community Credit Union stepped forward with a 10-year naming rights deal worth $300,000. A $300,000 state parks grant and lodging taxes are supporting construction as well.

Design West Architects of Kennewick designed the 2,350-square-foot stage. In all, the park can seat about 2,500 in the interior section and accommodate 1,500 more around the perimeter. DGR Grant Construction Inc. of Richland is the general contractor.

It will play host to music and dance performances as well as community gatherings and political events, among other potential uses. The city is developing user guidelines for its newest amenity, Bryant said.

The stage is a capstone project for Bryant, who has planned parks in Richland for 36 years, starting with a Greek amphitheater in the spot now occupied by the Hampton Inn. Bryant intended to retire in 2015 but delayed it a year to wrap up the stage.

“This is my last big project, my little legacy,” he said.

This story was originally published February 21, 2016 at 10:03 PM with the headline "HAPO Community Stage almost ready for its close up."