AUBURN – Festival Plaza’s colorful drapery, torn in a rain storm earlier this month, might not be back in place before the July 4 celebration.

The city should find out today whether the canopies will be repaired in time, said Gary Wadsworth, operations manager at Auburn Public Works.

Two of the canopies were damaged earlier this month, he said.

“There was a little wind, but mostly it was the rain,” Wadsworth said. The two canopies that cover the plaza itself were torn down. Crews removed them last week and sent them out to get repaired.

The biggest canopy, covering part of the plaza and extending over Main Street, was not damaged. It was removed however, and sent out for maintenance.

The red, yellow and blue canopies attach to the distinctively shaped poles in the center of the plaza and stretch to the edges. They are made of tightly woven nylon mesh. The entire structure – from the poles to the fabric – was designed and made by artist Charles Duvall of Rockport for $170,000. It includes two sets of the mesh canopies.

Wadsworth said the city has a spare set.

“But there have been other failures, in the past,” Wadsworth said.

He said he was still awaiting a cost estimate for the repairs.

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