New stage ready for Nordicfest
Jerry Regh, an employee with J.L. Regh Inc. in Libby, secures a roof truss for the new stage at the Memorial Center.
By GWEN ALBERS Western News Reporter
A community effort will mean a new $10,000 outdoor stage for Nordicfest 2006 and future events.
When the 22nd annual Nordicfest celebration opens Friday, Sept. 8, the new stage outside the Memorial Center will feature acts like Lee Toner, Tom Kitchen, Libby Spinning Squares, Ann Mason & Friends, Serena Miller, City Clicker Cloggers, Peterson Trio, Kira Lee, Sherly Fuller & Brother, and the Alan Lane Band.
The festival of Scandinavian food, music and culture, which runs through Sunday, Sept. 10, will include authentic dancing, craft and quilt shows, the International Fjord Horse Show, parade and much more.
A schedule of events is included in a special section on Nordicfest in today's edition of The Western News.
The idea for the outdoor stage came from John Desch, president of Nordicfest.
Nordicfest performances had been held in the bandshell at the old Libby High School on Mineral Avenue, Desch said. Electrical power to the bandshell is no longer available. For the past two years, performances were held on a portable stage where the permanent stage is being built.
When the decision was made to build a permanent stage, Paul Rumelhart, executive director for Kootenai River Development Council, coordinated much of the construction. KRDC is a non-profit agency that oversees economic development in Lincoln County, including the 400-acre former Stimson mill site.
"The cost of the materials was about $5,500 and with labor, the project was at $10,000," said Rumelhart. "Whoever had something we needed for the project stepped up to the plate."
Initially, they planned on delaying adding a roof to the stage. That changed.
"It was Friday (Aug. 25) and we decided to put a roof on it," Rumelhart said.
Several companies donated materials and labor for the stage.
Libby Public Schools owns the property occupied by the Memorial Center and gave permission to construct the stage. Steve Lethrud with Libby Public Schools designed it.
The city of Libby donated the building permit.
Riley Construction did the cement work; Granite Concrete donated the materials.
The Kootenai Business Park industrial district donated the steel pipe from the former Stimson plywood plant. Stimson donated lumber, Millwork West provided glue-laminated beams and Larson Lumber in Troy provided the sheet metal for the roof.
J.L. Regh Inc. did the construction.