McKenna Harford mharford@coloradocommunitymedia.com
In preparation for the construction of a new library in Castle Rock, the town band managed to preserve the iconic structure of the bandstand gazebo, although they continue to search for a new venue for performance.
Established in 1999, the Castle Rock Band is a group of volunteers who play free live music on holidays or at events. Since 2004, the group has performed mainly at the library kiosk, which was dedicated to them as a free place.
Caste Rock Band president Buddy Rich said the bandstand was built in partnership with the library and is a reproduction of the gazebo where the original Castle Rock band played in the 1880s .
Rich said the group was told earlier this year that construction of the new library would result in the bandstand being demolished unless they found a new home.
With the bandstand’s ties to the community and historical aspects, Rich said the CALF Lowell Ranch agreed to move the bandstand to their property a few miles from the library.
“(The bandstand) was almost torn down and the claw pretty much had a chance to knock it over,” he said. “It has a historical reference…and there would be costs to the library whether it was torn down and moved or moved into a unit.”
To transport the bandstand, workers will carefully dismantle the roof and legs of the concrete base to reassemble them at the ranch, which is expected to take place March 30.
Although Rich is happy the bandstand was saved from demolition, he said the band still had a dilemma about where to play in the future. Rich said the band was in talks with the ranch to see if the band could still play there, but no official plans have been made yet.
“Discussing with CALF, it will be up to their baby to decide how they want it set up,” he said.
Currently, the Castle Rock Band has two shows scheduled this year – one on Memorial Day weekend at the Castle Rock Library and the 4th of July weekend at Festival Park.
However, Rich said the band would like to schedule more shows this year, but were unable to find a free venue available for regular use in the city.
“We played most of our shows outside at the bandstand, which is no longer, and frankly we got a little lost trying to find a place to play again,” he explained. . “Everyone wants money for us to play there.”
Rich added that the band had contacted the city to try to work out an arrangement to provide a regular venue for the band. Melissa Hoelting, community relations manager for Castle Rock, said discussions are ongoing.
“We are actively working with the band to find dates that work for them,” she said.
For Rich and many other members of the band, it is important to find a new place to carry on the tradition of the Castle Rock Band. The group was created as a nod to a similar troupe that performed in the city from 1887 to World War I and helps educate locals about that history, Rich said.
Sometimes the band even performs in costumes that replicate the band’s uniform from the 1800s.
“We’re going to keep trying to find places to play,” he said.
Although the bandstand has already moved, the Castle Rock Band’s Memorial Day performance will serve as something of a sendoff for the transition, Rich said.
Anyone interested in hosting or joining the Castle Rock Band can contact the band at castlerockband@aol.com.
