HomeMy WebLinkAbout8.1 Heritage Park & Museums Dedication EventG~?? OF D
82 AGENDA STATEMENT
HERITAGE AND CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION
??LtFORw° MEETING DATE: March 10, 2011
SUBJECT: Heritage Park & Museums Dedication Event
Prepared by John Hartnett, Heritage & Cultural Arts Manager and
Elizabeth Isles, Heritage Center Director
ATTACHMENTS: Map of Heritage Park & Museums
RECOMMENDATION: Receive report and provide input on potential event components
FINANCIAL STATEMENT: Funds for the dedication event are included in the FY 2010-2011
budget.
DESCRIPTION: The new Heritage Park & Museums which includes the Kolb family
buildings is on a 4.3-acre site immediately north of the Murray Schoolhouse, St. Raymond Church and
Dublin Pioneer Cemetery and is bounded by Donlon Way and Dublin Boulevard. Phase I of the park is
nearing completion. The City has created a dynamic park that provides a picturesque place to walk, relax,
picnic, play and explore Dublin's heritage. Historical buildings from the Kolb Farm are the focal point of
this new beautiful park. Attachment I is a site plan showing the amenities in Phase 1, which include the
following:
• Kolb House - The main house, which is called the Kolb House, is a Craftsman Bungalow. The
two-story building is outfitted with all original "Arts & Crafts" style furniture, fine china and
household items that the Kolb family used between the years 1864-1957. The building will serve
as a museum and volunteer docents will guide visitors through the rooms of the Kolb House.
Before exiting, guests may visit "The Back Porch," a gift shop featuring local Dublin history
books, postcards and country gifts and antiques.
• Sunday School Barn - This landmark, which served as Dublin's first Sunday School, will become
a venue for arts classes, theatrical presentations, concerts, barn-dances and events. The rustic
interior includes a theatrical lighting and sound system and the facility will be available for rental
opportunities.
• Old Kolb House - This small building, which served as the original family home, has been
converted into restrooms in the front, and the back tool-room has been redesigned as an
art/ceramic studio. The City will start offering ceramic classes in the fall, and will have a kiln on-
site.
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GAHERITAGE COMMISSIOMAGENDA_STMTS\2011\3-1 0-11 Heritage Park Dedication Event.doc
• Hay Barn - The Hay Barn is a large covered building that will be used for storing the original
Kolb tractor and Kolb wagon, that have recently been restored. Additionally, the space could be
used for small summer camps for youth.
• Grounds - The spacious outdoor amenities include a large front and side lawn, outdoor concrete
stage and seating wall (ideal for outdoor music events) and a number of large farm implements
from the original Kolb Ranch which have been placed adjacent to the Sunday School Barn and
enclosed for safety. Gardens, picnic tables and walking paths complete the park and provide areas
for recreational use.
Dedication Ceremony Date
Major renovation of the buildings is nearing completion and the maintenance period for the grounds is
underway. Staff anticipates moving the Kolb family collections into the Kolb House in early April. Art
classes and summer camps are tentatively scheduled to begin June 20. Staff recommends that the Grand
Opening and Dedication of the site be held in late June or early July in order to allow adequate time to
stage the collection in the Kolb House, allow time for plant establishment, and select and purchase
furniture and equipment for all the buildings. On April 5, the City Council will consider holding the
Dedication Event on either Saturday, June 25 or Saturday, July 2, or an alternate date at the City
Council's direction.
Potential Event Components
Once a date has been selected for the event, Staff will begin meeting to plan the event components. Staff
envisions the event beginning with a ribbon cutting ceremony including presentations by local dignitaries
and the Kolb family. Following the ceremony, activities would be held in each area of the park and
buildings including the Murray Schoolhouse and St. Raymond Church.
At the Kolb House, tours could be conducted by volunteer docents with an opportunity to purchase some
historical items at the "Back Porch Gift Shop", including a new book about the Kolb family that has been
created specifically for this occasion. Carol Kolb Strom provided the photographs and family history and
former City Councilmember Claudia McCormick wrote the narrative for the book.
In the Sunday School Barn, our local Bluegrass and Irish Jam groups could provide continuous music
throughout the day. Seating would be available for those who wish to eat and listen at the same time.
At the entrance to the Art/Ceramics Studio, an outdoor arts and crafts project could be made available for
youth attending the event.
At the lawn/outdoor stage area, a music concert featuring German music could be featured, with
refreshments such as root beer, soft pretzels, hot dogs/brats and German potato salad, served from an
outdoor tent. The adjacent picnic tables could provide an eating area with pop-up canopies providing
shade.
Wagon rides for youth in the old Kolb Wagon could be conducted around the grounds of the Heritage
Park. The wagon would be pulled by the Kolb Tractor. Both the wagon and tractor have been completely
restored this past year.
In St. Raymond Church, a film about the Kolb Family and the re-location of the farm buildings back to
Dublin, made available by the Dublin Historical Preservation Association and produced by Tri-Valley
Community Television, could be played continuously on the Big Screen TV.
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In the Murray Schoolhouse, the four Oral Histories produced by the Oral History Committee volunteers
could be playing continuously throughout the day, and "The Journey" exhibit would be open for tours, as
well.
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the Heritage and Cultural Arts Commission
receive the report and provide input on the potential event components. The Commission's input will be
shared with the City Council at the regular meeting of the City Council on April 5, 2011.
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