After a fire that destroyed an amphitheater in Lake George over the weekend, local officials are picking up the pieces and preparing for an altered summer season.
Early Sunday morning, a fire engulfed the Shepard Park amphitheater, destroying the building that was set to host a number of concerts this week and throughout the summer.
First-term village Mayor Ray Perry called Sunday “the longest week” he’s had.
“It was devastating to see that in the morning, right before 4th of July. The only way it could have been any worse is if it was on the 3rd of July. But we are resilient here in Lake George. We have resources and a wonderful community that is supporting all of us. We are going to set up a tent temporarily for a few shows that still will go on this week,” said Perry.
Events from Wednesday through Friday, including an Independence Day fireworks show and two concerts, will still be held at the park.
Perry says the fire originated in a locked room, likely because of an electrical issue.
“You know, no one got hurt. There were some musical instruments that were unfortunately lost, and our sound equipment and lighting. But that’s just stuff. And that stuff can be replaced. And no human life was harmed or even injured in the fire so we have to be thankful for that. But I’ve got to take the stance to use this as a positive. Moving forward we’re going to build a better amphitheater, probably the nicest amphitheater anyone has ever seen. So, it’s an opportunity,” said Perry.
Perry says the village is already working on a call for designs, and hopes to funnel the community’s passion for the space into a quick rehabilitation project.
“So maybe we make it so that we can use it year-round so we’d have some moveable or retractable walls to keep a little heat in the place for Winter Carnival maybe moving forward. But there’s potentially the addition of a green room because we have several shows where we have an opening act. So you’d want to have your headliners in a comfortable place, right now they have to stand out next to some picnic tables,” said Perry.
Speaking with WAMC Monday, Lake George Arts Project Executive Director Tanya Tobias said in the immediate aftermath of the fire, the future of the local summer art scene is in question. The amphitheater hosts 10 concerts as a part of an annual summer series as well as one of the largest free jazz festivals in the Northeast.
“Now, 36 hours later, I am, you know, in talking to Mayor Perry and talking to Dave Ehmann who coordinates the Friday night concerts, talking to Entertainment One, and sound engineers that we work with, the impact will only be truly in the aesthetics. Everybody has put together this plan that is so strong and everybody is onboard with it equally as far as what it’s going to look like. We are going to do our best to make every single thing that was scheduled in the park happen,” said Tobias.
Tobias says the non-profit is ready to coordinate with eager locals to get the amphitheater back into shape as quickly as possible.
“As a non-profit, we can work with the Village of Lake George to help collect monetary donations [unintelligible to me: if that work ends in a case?]. But also, to help coordinate volunteers if that’s something that were ever needed. Coordinate people who could potentially sit on the committee as part of the decision-making process for the building. There’s a million was to give and to support,” said Tobias.
Mayor Perry hopes that the village can keep the momentum going and break ground on a new amphitheater as early as this fall.
