The Harrisburg City Council has approved a grant application that could result in a new entertainment venue at Riverfront Park.
At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, a resolution was passed approving the submission of a grant application to the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development’s Greenways, Trails and Recreation Program.
If awarded, the grant money would total $117,228 and would go toward funding a pavilion at Riverfront Park, with the proposed location near 600 N. Front St., adjacent to the Civic Club building near Liberty Street.
The resolution describes the pavilion as a “multi-use, open-sided 24×20 pavilion” that will “allow the City to bring a variety of programs and new events to the downtown area, contributing to further tourism and economic development.”
“The pavilion will be the first and only pavilion within Riverfront Park, which spans approximately four miles along the Capital Area Greenbelt and the Susquehanna River,” the resolution states, adding that it will be used for events and activities such as “fitness classes, arts and crafts workshops, first aid and safety training, movie nights, etc.”
Grant applications will require a 15 percent local contribution, to be funded from the city’s special events fund, according to the resolution.
But the investment will save the city in the long run, likely within the first year.
The resolution noted that the city of Harrisburg typically pays between $17,500 and $21,000 a year to rent the temporary stage used for events such as the Ice & Fire Festival, ArtFest and Kipona Festival.
Read more: Kipona Event Guide: What to expect from Harrisburg’s Labor Day Weekend Festival