LEWISTON — Councilors said Tuesday they have no problem with plans to relocate Kennedy Park’s signature gazebo within the park, as long as the work moves forward.

“I think the biggest concern we have is we want to see progress,” Councilor Mark Cayer said. “I think we are now, and I’m excited about this project.”

Members of the city’s gazebo committee presented design plans and models for what the renovated gazebo and bandstand in Kennedy Park would look like to city councilors on Tuesday. They’ll bring the plan back to councilors July 31, when they ask councilors for time to raise money to pay for the work.

“Now that we have a design, we should get a firm price soon,” said Lee Miles, a member of the committee. “That’s what we really need to have. We’re already strategizing about how to raise money to do the work.”

The committee is suggesting the gazebo be torn down and a new one be built 250 feet southeast, from its historic location in Kennedy Park’s northeastern section to the park’s eastern entrance, near the Bates and Walnut streets intersection.

Building a new structure, with stairs on either side and bridge connecting the gazebo to Bates Street, became an option at that point. If the plan moves forward, the existing roof would be moved to the new structure.

The new gazebo would use the grade difference between Bates Street and the park. People would be able to walk into the gazebo from the street level. That would place it several feet above the park’s grade, creating a kind of natural amphitheater.

The city has set aside $75,000 in federal Community Development Block Grant money to pay for part of the work to redesign the gazebo. Members of the committee need to raise the rest.

Bill Clifford, chairman of the committee, said the original budget for the project was $260,000 based on early estimates. The committee worked with contractor Mike Hebert to do the work.

“He thinks he can do much better than that,” Clifford told councilors. “He thinks he can save us a lot of money.”

The gazebo has been closed and fenced off for two years due to safety concerns — damage to the concrete floor of the structure as well as erosion on the brick supports and wear on the wooden columns and the wood structure under the roof.

Councilors created the restoration committee in November to raise money and come up with ways to repair the failing gazebo. They agreed to use $75,000 from Lewiston’s CDBG allocation for part of the repairs, but said the bulk must come from donations.

Committee members decided last winter to come up with design options, then print brochures to help collect private donations to pay for the work. Councilors in March allocated $4,000 out of that $75,000 for engineering and design options and to help create the brochure.

The gazebo’s floor is at least 5 feet off of the ground. To meet federal Americans with Disabilities Act requirements and make it wheelchair accessible, the city would need to build either a long ramp or a lift elevator up to the gazebo floor or lower the gazebo to make it level with the park’s grade.

Both the ramp and the lift would make the renovation especially expensive.

A structural review showed that only the gazebos roof is in good enough shape to be saved.

According to history of the gazebo written by local historian Douglas Hodgkin, the first bandstand was built in the park in 1868 but the current gazebo was built in 1925.

Since then, it has been used for concerts and band performances as well as political rallies for local, Maine and national candidates.

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