EPF Wins First Grant in 2020!
A major victory for making a difference in the Eskridge City Park.
After seeing the success of the 110 Campaign and Emporia Area Match day in 2019, the Eskridge Park Foundation sat down to carefully consider our next steps for making improvements in the park. The Board is always conscious of the trust being placed in us by our donors and supporters and we work hard to place the community’s needs and interests first in our decision-making process.
In 2017, the Park was placed on the National Register for Historic Places. This nomination provided us access to the Heritage Trust Fund Grant, a yearly grant up to $90,000 in Match funding, which is administered from the Kansas Historical Society. The grant is designed to preserve or restore historic properties with an 80% reimbursement match for construction costs and professional fees. The Board needed to ensure the remaining 20% could be covered by our own funds.
For the Park, the 110 year old bandstand was the best place to start in the restoration process. The bandstand is a centralized focal point for the beauty and history of the park, but it has become unusable in recent years, as wood has begun to rot and more extensive damage is appearing. We knew that there was not much time left in order to save this historic building.
Bandstand with newly planted trees, circa 1909.
The Eskridge Park Foundation and City of Eskridge were one of about 12 grantees awarded that year. We had a roughly 20% chance of winning the grant from the pool of applicants. The EPF partnered with Kristy Johnson, architect and grant writer, of Ben Moore Studio of Manhattan, for the existing conditions drawings and grant application process. Kristy was amazing through out the entire process (and continues to be!). The application was submitted while we continued working on the 110 Campaign and Match Day event.
Bandstand circa 1970s, photo courtesy of Dean Dunn collection.
The following January, 2020, we were given an opportunity to speak to members of the Heritage Trust Fund Grant committee on behalf of our project. We had 3 minutes to make one last plea for our particular needs. Board members Annie Compton and Kari Warren represented the City of Eskridge, with Kristy supporting. Here’s a written copy of the speech Annie presented.
Good morning,
I would like to start by saying thank you for allowing us the opportunity to speak with you today. My name is Annie Compton, I am the president of the Eskridge Park Foundation. As you are already aware, our grant request is for the restoration and repair of our beloved Eskridge Park Bandstand.
The Bandstand celebrated its 110th birthday last year. It has been kept alive by a community of volunteers, from 4H kids to church groups, and city maintenance crew, who have provided the necessary repairs and paint over its long life. However, we have reached a point in which minor repairs can no longer guarantee the life of this historical piece. The Bandstand, which was once often used for events, is now considered unsafe. Despite our best efforts, we have been unable to fully fund a renovation, and we worry now that time is running out.
You see—our hearts are large and despite the modest means of our small community, our Foundation has witnessed first hand what our town can do. Over the past year, we have run events like Progress in the Park to plant flowers, paint, and clean up. We’ve purchased flagpoles to add to the Veteran’s Memorial. And we’ve raised over $15,000 from our 110 Campaign donations and fundraising events.
Indeed, the day after we submitted our application to you, we were awarded an additional $11,000 from a Match Day event through the Emporia Community Foundation—over $7,000 dollars of which was straight from donors. Our community has given selflessly over and over because they believe so strongly in this cause. Unfortunately, it’s just not enough to complete this project.
In the past, over 5,000 people, including the governor, came to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Eskridge—on a Bandstand that was then, brand new, as you can see here. Todays When our Foundation looks to the future, we see events like this happening once more. We see the Bandstand’s restoration as a starting point for the entire Park. A place for people to gather around for live music; to celebrate family and holidays; or to simply enjoy the natural setting of our beautiful park.
We want to restore the heart of our community, and with your help, we can. And finally, I’d like to tell you that we appreciate all that you do, and we thank you for your time and consideration.
3-Day ‘Home Coming Celebration’ which brought over 5,000 attendees in 1909 to celebrate the city’s 40th Anniversary.
On February 1st, the Eskridge Park Foundation was notified that they won the grant for $43,324 of the $54,155 estimated project cost. The Grant process is in progress right now, and is projected to be complete by September 2021. The process is moving along well, despite difficulties caused by Covid-19’s effects on many aspects of the process. A contractor has been chosen and construction is slated to begin very soon. Check back often for updates on the Bandstand restoration, and for other news!
The Bandstand today, 2020, prior to restoration process.
If you have questions pertaining to the Bandstand project, please feel free to reach out to Annie at EskridgePark@gmail.com.
