Two Harbors is undergoing a wealth of changes lately, from the upcoming addition of the Agate Bay Waterfront Park to the recent groundbreaking for the North Shore Flats apartment complex. One change, however, is less expected and far less pleasant. The outcome of a special meeting held the evening of August 17th has resulted in Two Harbors’ Paul Gauche Memorial Band Shell being declared unsafe for use and will likely end in it needing to be torn down.
This was not an easy decision for the City Council, with visible emotion in the voices of several councilors as they discussed options for the Band Shell, its performers, its equipment, and Thomas Owens Park before winding back around to the inevitable. “We do need to make the bold step of saying that the building is unsafe,” City Council President Uriah Hefter said at last. “We have to make the choice that nobody wants to make.”
Two Harbors Public Works Director Mark Rauenhorst began the meeting by laying out the situation with blunt honesty, stating the building condition is bad, and the roof is a potential safety hazard. Two structural reviews, in 2017 and again in 2024, “found that the roof is structurally insufficient,” he explained. “One month ago, we pulled a string line across the front edge of the roof and measured five inches of sag in the center. I believe the Band Shell is beyond repair because of its structural problems.” Evidence of flexing in the building’s structure over the years indicates the danger has become significantly worse this past year.
On top of that, Rauenhorst pointed out two other major issues: the poor condition of the stucco allowing water leakage into the structure and lack of easy accessibility to the stage, making it not ADA compliant. He recommended the City close the Band Shell to public use and plan a replacement that “honors the history of Thomas Owens Park while meeting today’s structural and accessibility standards,” ending his report by stating it was “time to close this chapter in Two Harbors and start a new chapter for the future.”
Two Harbors Building Official Jim Rich, who was not at the meeting but had his opinion relayed via City Administrator Patty Nordean, agrees with Rauenhorst’s judgment and recommended the City not put more money into the Band Shell at the current time. Rich is doing an assessment of the Band Shell this week and, based on reports so far, could likely end up condemning the building.
With the loss of the building likely inevitable, the Council switched to what to do next. Councilor Robin Glaser emphatically pushed for the Council to involve local non-profit group Friends of the Band Shell Park in their decision-making, saying “they spent 16 years working on a project that hasn’t happened and have done an extensive amount of research and fundraising.” The group, along with at least several Councilors and Mayor Lew Conner, are in favor of building something new in the Park that would be up to modern standards and make use of the historic nature of the site. Glaser suggested the possibility of a smaller, permanent venue which could serve as a complement to the large amphitheatre planned for the Waterfront Park.
It would be making lemonade out of lemons, as several smaller issues with the current Band Shell came up that could finally be rectified. The City Band lost a member this past year as they could no longer physically access the current stage, and the band, first organized in 1897 and having just completed its 129th year of continuous performances, has now gained enough members to have essentially outgrown the space. Any new structure could also be flipped 90 degrees to face southward so evening performers are no longer staring directly into the sun.
Nordean warned the group, however, that between applying for grants, undergoing proper building planning and procedures, and pausing for winter, a permanent building would not be an immediate solution. “I think we need to focus on the fact that [a permanent building] process is going to take a while,” she commented. “There’s no way that we’re going to be able to construct a building and have it ready before next year. There’s not.” Similarly, the amphitheatre for the Waterfront Park is still a ways off from construction even in a best-case scenario, with the transfer of land, which will contain the park, not even fully in the hands of the City of Two Harbors just yet.
After watching the Council throw ideas back and forth for some time, Rauenhorst presented a tentative plan for a temporary structure on the site which could have all of its components repurposed and reused once a permanent structure was decided upon. It would involve an elevated 2ft high slab of cement surrounded by a packed dirt slope allowing ADA accessibility, using a hoop building with festively colored fabric for a suitable cover. Nordean’s suggestion of conex boxes for equipment storage could be fitted with siding for a look easy on the eyes, along with decor for the platform to make the arrangement look appealing. Finally, lights could be added to shine on the stage and add ambiance.
In order to have any sort of temporary structure ready for next year’s warm season, construction would almost certainly need to begin before this winter. Given the increased chance of collapse during this winter, it was noted that demolition of the current Band Shell should also be done sooner rather than later. Glaser, along with Nordean and several other members of the Council, pushed for involvement from the public despite time constraints. “It’s important to get an alternative plan in place as soon as possible,” Glaser said, noting the number of groups that regularly use the Band Shell for performances. In the meantime, there are a few temporary spots within City buildings to store equipment used for events.
Aside from the possible condemnation and demolition of the current Band Shell, the next step for the Park will be a public hearing as part of the next Public Works meeting on September 10th, to be held in the City Council Chambers. The focus of the public hearing will be a replacement for Band Shell, with interested parties being highly encouraged by the City Council to attend. Conner confirmed the recently hired band shell mural artist is able to do work next year and can do a different city project instead on any area “that isn’t too high up.”
The Paul Gauche Memorial Band Shell was constructed in 1937 as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal Works Progress Administration (WPA), a national work relief program which used government funding to provide jobs and construct many public works projects across America. Although the Band Shell is not on the National Register of Historic Places, it has a place near and dear to the hearts of many locals, being one of the central symbols of the heart of Two Harbors. During the meeting, Councilor Glaser sounded notably frustrated, saying she “begged for years for something to be done with the Band Shell, and here I am again, but now…” she hesitated. “We have to put safety first.” In a situation like this, often the best way forward is to look ahead to the future and decide to make something better, safer, and stronger than ever before. The Band Shell might be gone soon, but something greater could be built in its place, if the people of Two Harbors choose to do so.
