The long-awaited groundbreaking ceremony for the Riverfront Pavilion took place on Thursday afternoon. Those gathered by the river watched as members of the Hastings Area Rotary Club stood alongside a variety of city and community leaders each doffing the required construction hard hat and squinting into the midafternoon sun. We talked to John Hanson, a key figure in the Pavilion fundraising. Hanson shared his thoughts on this exciting next step.
Mayor Paul Hicks gave the welcome address and first shared his excitement in getting to this day.
Also in the crowd was Greg Stotko, one of the contributors of the construction of the project.
Almost 100 people assembled on the grassy lawn for the ceremony, and took numerous photos to commemorate the hefting of the first shovels that will be followed by heavy equipment later this summer. The event was an opportunity to speak of cooperation and contributions. A representative for the Ruth Doffing Fund, Jeff Carlson, told those gathered that Ruth enjoyed giving back to her community.
The timeline calls for the Pavilion to be completed by early fall to begin its service as a year-round center for gatherings of all types along the banks of the new Hastings Riverwalk.
