To see how cowboys and cowgirls compete and hone their skills, the community is invited to Fort Scott Community College from March 8 to 10 to see, among other events, calf roping, barrel racing, and bull riding in the rodeo arena.
The 45th FSCC Spring College Rodeo is this Friday through Sunday.
There are currently about 40 students on FSCC Coach Chad Cross’s rodeo team.
The FSCC Rodeo Team from its’ Facebook page.
“Our rodeo team is a group of student-athletes who came here to earn scholarships to rodeo just like a baseball or basketball player would,” Cross said. “They travel to 10 rodeos a year to hopefully earn enough points to qualify for the College National Finals Rodeo in June each year. They spend a lot of their own hard-earned money traveling to rodeos, paying fees, and taking care of their own horses to compete at these rodeos.”
“Our rodeo will showcase student-athletes from over 20 schools in our Region (Kansas and Oklahoma) in events like Calf Roping, Barrel Racing, and Bull Riding to name just a few,” Cross said.
The students don’t necessarily come from rural America, but the majority do, Cross said, but they learn skills that will help in life.
“The skills we hope to instill in them include responsibility, hard work, determination, and the ability to be humble, and we hope to mold respectful young adults who can become outstanding members in this community or wherever they choose to land in the future,” Cross said.
The events are Friday, March 8 at 7:30 p.m. then Saturday, March 9 at 1:30 and 7:30 p.m., and the ‘short-go’ at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Tickets are $12 for adults, $5 for students and children under 5 years old are free.
Tickets are only sold at the door, according to the Facebook page.
At a recent rodeo competition, Bryce Eck was the Bareback Riding Champion according to the FSCC Rodeo Team Facebook page.
and Blake Steuck was the Saddle Bronk Riding Champion.
Quintonn Lunsford, Dylan George and Jence Griffith all finished in the top five.
The Hello Summer Luau is May 18 at the new pavilion on North National Avenue. Submitted graphic.
The City of Fort is sponsoring a community event at the new Fort Scott Pavilion on North National Avenue, next to the new splash pad, on Saturday, May 18.
“The purpose of the event is to promote drug and alcohol (prevention) awareness while kicking off the summer for the grand opening of the Pavilion and the Splash Pad- which will be open the day of the event,” said Mary Wyatt, Planning, Housing, and Community Development Director for the City of Fort Scott.
“The City of Fort Scott is sponsoring the event and is using the Drug and Alcohol Tax Fund which goes to spread awareness to the youth (and adults) to pay for the expenses, plus there are local businesses handing out free stuff and selling their items at the event,” said City Manager Brad Matkin.
“We are in the beginning stages of the project, and currently putting together a committee for the event,” Wyatt said. “After the committee’s first meeting, we will have more details and specifics confirmed that we can share, and will start reaching out to vendors (mostly, if not all, local) to determine their availability. It is the City of Fort Scott’s goal to help provide a safe and fun family-friendly event to start off the summer together as a community.”
There will be live music, vendors, and free activities for the kids Matkin said.
“The vendors will be starting at 3 pm with the bands starting at 6:30 pm,” said Matkin.
The northern end of the Gathering Place is seen from National Avenue and Stanton Street. The splash pad is behind the pavilion to the left in this photo.
“The plan is to have the splash pad open,” for this bash, Bailey Lyons, one of the committee members of the splash pad said.
The Gathering Place is the venue of the new pavilion and splash pad on North National Avenue at Old Fort Boulevard. Here are the rules for the splash pad.
“The Hello Summer bash will feature Beach Boys tunes under the pavilion from the live tribute band, Surfin’ USA,” Matkin said.
“Surfin’ USA features seven musicians from the Kansas City area. Their collective dedication to quality musicianship and soaring harmonies will be on full display as they are committed to accurately recreating the music of The Beach Boys,” according to https://www.surfinusashow.com/
Before Sufin’ USA, Vinyl Revival will be playing at 6:30 p.m. at the pavilion.
“Comprised of six professional musicians near the Kansas City area, members of Vinyl Revival have opened for artists such as: Little River Band, Doobie Brothers, Eddie Money, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Firefall, Badfinger, The Guess Who, Joe Bonamassa, Blood Sweat & Tears, Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Edgar Winter, Pure Prairie League, The Romantics, and Peter Frampton,” according to https://vinylrevivalkc.com/
To view prior articles on the two new additions to downtown Fort Scott:
Beach Museum of Art Specialist and Musician Nate McClendon will be at the Danny and Willa Ellis Family Fine Arts Center Theater on Thursday, March 21, 2024, to present his portrait of Gordon Parks in music and narration with a jazz band.
The performance starts at 7:30 p.m. and doors open at 7 p.m.
This performance was inspired by the exhibition Homeward to the Prairie I Come: Photographs by Gordon Parks from the Beach Museum of Art at Kansas State University organized by the Beach Museum with support from Art Bridges, a philanthropic organization dedicated to expanding access to American art.\
This music and narration event is free and open to the public of all ages courtesy of Art Bridges. It is part of the Gordon Parks
Convening at the Ellis Fine Arts Center, March 20 – 22, a collaboration with the Beach Museum of Art and the
Gordon Parks Museum funded by Art Bridges. The convening will have over twelve museum professionals from across the nation at Fort Scott learning more about Gordon Parks and his works.
For information on the Portrait of Gordon Parks: Interpretive Jazz event, contact Kirk Sharp, executive director,
620) 223-2700, ext. 5850, or at [email protected].
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A group of residents organized last summer to form a non-profit corporation that will be bringing education, community, and culture to Southeast Kansas through theatre productions, called Bourbon County Community Theatre.
“BCCT was formed in late June and has been working since then to get up and running so that the people of Bourbon County can soon have the opportunity to participate in and enjoy community theatre again,” said Delynn Abati, public relations person for the group.
The group’s first event is March 16 and is a prom for adults to fund future events and performances.
“We are hoping this prom for adults will become an annual night of fun, dancing, and community support,” she said.
This formal dance is for anyone age 21 and up and will be held in The Legacy Center on the lower level of the old Mercy Hospital building at 401 Woodland Hills Blvd.
“We will have a promenade beginning at 7:45 pm and the dance will run from 8-11 pm,” she said in a press release. “In addition to dancing, we will have non-alcoholic drinks, a charcuterie board, and a chocolate fondue bar included in the ticket price, as well as alcoholic beverages available for purchase from the bar, provided by Sharky’s.”
“We’re hoping to add to the fun (and success) of the night with some lighthearted music dueling,” she said. “Attendees can pay $1 to request and/or dedicate a song, $5 to request a song NOT be played for an hour, or $10 for a song to be banned for the night.”
Tickets can be purchased at BCCT.ticketspice.com (QR code provided below) or at the door on March 16.
Online tickets are $50 per couple or $30 for a single ticket. Tickets purchased at the door will go up in price to $75 per couple or $40 for a single ticket.
“Our BCCT board is so excited to be offering this event to the people of Fort Scott and surrounding areas and hopes that it will be a success for years to come,” she said.
The BCCT is accepting members.
“If you’d like to be a part of bringing community theatre back to Bourbon County, visit our Facebook page; and fill out the Community Theatre Interest Form,” https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552088270799he said.
Additionally, on the horizon is a Night of Living History performance.
“The Bourbon County Community Theatre is looking for people who would like to be involved in a committee for a Night of Living History performance,” said Abati. “This will be a play (or similar event) telling some of the history of Fort Scott and its surrounding areas.”
Robert Needham shows his race car. Submitted photo.
The Fort Scott Scout Pinewood Derby event is on February 17, at 6 p.m. at Memorial Hall, 1 East Third.
The schedule for February 17 is as follows:
5 to 6 p.m. Check-in and registration.
6 to 6:30 Scout races.
6:30 to 7 Scout awards.
7:30 to 8 Corporate Races.
8 to whenever… Grudge Races.
“The Pinewood Derby has been an annual event for many years for scouts, and it’s one of the highlights of their year,” said Scoutmaster Seth Needham. “Three years ago, we decided to make it a community event and invite local businesses and organizations to attend. It’s been a huge success, and it’s a lot of fun.”
James Gooderl won the Sportsmanship Award last year, and also the Grand Champion for a faster car. Submitted photo.
The purpose of the event is twofold, Needham said.
“First, more people come to our derby. The scouts work hard on their cars, so this allows more people to come and cheer them on, the kids love it…and a chance to see what scouts is about. Local business people show up, as well as the Police Department, Fire Department, and the Sheriff’s Office. The kids look up to those guys, so it’s a big deal for the scouts to see them come cheer them on.”
Petyon Golden helps set up flags for Flag Day at the Fort Scott National Historic Site. Submitted photo.
“Second, it’s a fundraiser for us,” Needham said. “Companies pay $25 to enter the race, which gets them a pinewood derby car kit and gets them entered for the race. We use that money for a variety of things, but it mostly goes to trophies and the cost of putting on the derby. Any extra money we raise helps cover membership dues.”
“When I first started doing this, I talked to a lot of people in the community about participating,” he said. “Over and over, I heard the same thing; ‘I still have my trophy from pinewood derby from when I was in scouts’. It’s something that they held onto for years. Our pack used to do much smaller trophies due to the cost, but with the addition of the corporate derby, we can hand out nice trophies that the scouts will keep for a long time”.
“We give out trophies for 1st place for each Den, as well as Grand Champion and Reserve Champion,” Needham said. “My favorite trophy is the Sportsmanship Trophy… it goes to the scout who shows the best sportsmanship throughout the event…Factors in deciding who wins this trophy…(are) helping your fellow scouts build their cars, cheering on your friend (even when you’re competing against them), helping set up, building their car versus buying one online, and much more. It’s my absolute favorite trophy for the night. And honestly, we probably couldn’t have afforded to add this trophy without the addition of the corporate derby.
John Pommier won first place in the Lion’s Division (KIndergartners), the first year for scouts) last year. “I LOVE this photo because he is SO happy to win,” Needham said.
“The grudge races are a new addition,” he said. “After the main races, the teams can go to the pit area and make modifications to their cars and then challenge other racers to a race. So if the sheriff and the police department want to see who has the fastest car, they can settle the dispute on the track. Each race costs $5, and the challenger pays the entry fee.”
James Gooderl, left, being presented with the Sportsmanship Award from Seth Needham. Camren Lamb is also pictured. Camren won Reserve Champion last year. Submitted photo.
After the races, there is a lock-in at Presbyterian Church for the kids..an overnight race-themed evening of games, crafts, and movies.
The Scouts meet on Tuesdays at the First Presbyterian Church. Once the weather gets nicer, they usually meet at Riverfront Park. “It’s a good park to meet at because there is a lot of open space for the kids to explore, and the gazebo to do our lessons,” he said.
“The Scout program is open to any child in grades kindergarten through 5th grade. After 5th grade, they move up to the Troop, which is the older kids.”
Needham has been the Cubmaster for three years.
“I love it. I enjoy seeing the kids learn the importance of helping other people, doing their best no matter what, and being creative,” he said. “My favorite part of Scouts is our community events, whether that is the Pinewood Derby, or taking the kids for a walk downtown to pick up trash. We also help with flags at the Old Fort on Flag Day, participate in parades, and usually try to spend at least one day a year doing a project at a local park. Oh, and we also go camping and go on hikes.”
Upcoming Events
The Blue and Gold banquet is in May, where awards for the year are received. Each Den has adventure requirements throughout the year, as well as electives they can participate in.
At the banquet, they receive belt buckles for these activities. There is also a “Cross-Over” for 5th-grade students choosing to continue in the Scout program by joining the Troop.
“We have a wooden bridge that we set up, and they walk across it to symbolize they are crossing over into the troop,” Needham said. “I don’t know how old the bridge is, but it’s been around for many years and has signatures of previous scouts who crossed over. There are a lot of names on that bridge from people in our area.”
For the first time a, Soapbox Derby race will be held on June 1.
“I’m excited,” Needham said. It will be a fundraiser, with money raised to send Scouts to Camp Arrowhead, in Missouri, this summer. “It’s a wonderful camp, and it should be a lot of fun.”
Other summer outdoor activities: include a scout swim at Fort Scott Aquatic Center for one night; a Beach Bash at Fort Scott Lake which is one of the kids’ favorite activities; and also hikes and camping.
Kansas Tourism Announces Attraction Development Grants Spring Applications Open
TOPEKA – Kansas Tourism has announced the spring round of applications are open for the Tourism Attraction Development Grant Program. Attraction Development Grants are designed to assist in the development of sustainable travel experiences by developing new tourism attractions or enhancing existing attractions that will spur new visitation and increase visitor spending. A total of $500,000 will be granted during this round. Applications are due by April 1, 2024.
“Tourism is a key element to invigorating local economies,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “Through strategic investments in developing new tourism opportunities, we create jobs and increase a community’s appeal as a place to live and do business.”
The goals of the Attraction Development Grants are to spur economic growth, increase visitation to the state, enhance the visitor experience and improve quality of life.
“The development of new attractions offers fresh avenues for exploration and discovery,” Kansas Tourism Director Bridgette Jobe said. “This is one way we can encourage visitors to come back over and over to continually uncover more about Kansas each time they visit.”
For more information about the Attraction Development Grants, click here, or contact Kansas Tourism Grant Program Manager Carrie Doud here.
For a full list of grants offered by the Kansas Department of Commerce, click here.
About Kansas Tourism:
The mission of Kansas Tourism is to inspire travel to and throughout Kansas to maximize the positive impacts that tourism has on our state and local communities. Kansas Tourism works hand in hand with other Commerce community programs to elevate and promote Kansas as a tourist destination. Kansas Tourism oversees all tourism marketing and PR for the state, produces travel publications and advertising, manages state Travel Information Centers, manages both the Kansas By-ways program and the Kansas Agritourism program, approves tourist signage applications, produces the KANSAS! Magazine, and provides financial and educational support to the tourism industry in Kansas through grants, education, and support.
About the Kansas Department of Commerce:
As the state’s lead economic development agency, the Kansas Department of Commerce strives to empower individuals, businesses and communities to achieve prosperity in Kansas. Commerce accomplishes its mission by developing relationships with corporations, site location consultants and stakeholders in Kansas, the nation and world. Our strong partnerships allow us to help create an environment for existing Kansas businesses to grow and foster an innovative, competitive landscape for new businesses. Through Commerce’s project successes, Kansas was awarded Area Development Magazine’s prestigious Gold Shovel award in 2021, 2022 and 2023, and was awarded the 2021 and 2022 Governor’s Cup by Site Selection Magazine.
The Fort Scott High School Thespians perform the dark comedy “Arsenic and Old Lace” at 7 p.m. on Feb. 8, 9, and 10 at the FSHS Auditorium.
Dramatists Play Service describes the play this way, “Drama critic Mortimer Brewster’s engagement announcement is upended when he discovers a corpse in his elderly aunts’ window seat. Mortimer rushes to tell Abby and Martha before they stumble upon the body themselves, only to learn that the two old women aren’t just aware of the dead man in their parlor, they killed him! Between his aunts’ penchant for poisoning wine, a brother who thinks he’s Teddy Roosevelt, and another brother using plastic surgery to hide from the police—not to mention Mortimer’s own hesitancy about marriage—it’ll be a miracle if Mortimer makes it to his wedding. “Arsenic and Old Lace” is a classic black comedy about the only thing more deadly than poison: family.”
The Brewster sisters are played by senior Jaedyn Lewis and junior Emma Guns with the role of Mortimer being played by senior Jericho Jones. Major supporting roles are played by senior Regen Wells and juniors Cooper George, Kaiden Clary, and Mykael Lewis.
Tickets for performances are $7 for adults and $5 for students and children. Tickets are available at fortscotthighschool.ludus.com or at the door. All tickets are reserved seating. Doors open 30 minutes prior to showtime.
The show is directed by FSHS Theatre Director Angie Bin and FSHS Thespian alum Mesa Jones is Assistant Director.
Join Museum of Creativity as they go back to a simpler time when jump rope and jacks were the main source of play!
The Museum of Creativity will have a sixties ambiance for the whole weekend of February 8th, 9th, and 10th. They will have music of the decade playing in the background as you remaster your hula hoop skills plus lots of new old toys for the whole family to experience!
Schedule of events:
Friday February 9th:
Belt out to classics at the Karaoke party from 7pm-10pm
Saturday, February 10th:
Jump Rope Contest at 11am-how many times can you jump rope?
Hula Hoop Contest at 1:00pm – how long can you keep it in motion off the ground?
Bubblegum Blowing Contest at 2:00pm – how big are you bubbles?
Entrance for this event starting Friday night @7pm will be
$5/person ages 3 to 103+
2 and under are free
Entrance includes participation in all competitions/activities and an ice cream float using Braum’s vanilla ice cream with a variety of soda to choose from.
There will be a prize for anyone who shows up in 60’s era attire.
Our hours of operation are:
Thursday 4:00pm – 8:00pm
Friday 9:00am – 10:00pm
Saturday 10:00am – 4:00pm
Contact the museum to get your name on the competition roster!
A woman with many faces and identities, Evie Porter, covertly moves from job to job for her unknown employer until her latest mark, Ryan Summer gets under her skin and makes her envision a different sort of life.
Returning to the house where her parents were murdered, mother-to-be Emma Palmer who has never told anyone what she saw the night her parents died, even when she became the prime suspect, is reunited with her estranged sisters who will do anything to keep the past buried.
Spending Easter with Lana Farrar, a reclusive ex-movie star and one of the most famous women in the world, on her idyllic private Greek island, her guests, concealing hatred and desire for revenge, become trapped when the night ends in violence and murder.
A heartfelt novel of marriage and whitewater rafting follows one couple as they navigate the changing currents of family, community and the river itself.
Spending the days searching for truths on an island in the Great Massasauga Swamp, 11-year-old Dorothy Zook, the granddaughter of an herbalist and eccentric healer, finds her childhood upended by family secrets, passionate love and violent men where the only bridge across the water is her wayward mother.
Happily divorced Gillian prefers her garden to the dating scene but is intrigued by her new neighbor until they’re pitted against each other in gardening contest, in the new novel from the author of the“Welcome to Marsden” series. Original.
Buying an abandoned house in the remote Italian town of Becchina, American couple Tommy and Kate Puglisi are drawn into a nightmare when they discover the home was owned by the Church—and learn the truth about what the priests were doing in this house for all those long years.
Hidden within an unusual circus run by a centuries-old Enchanter, Harrow, keeping her true identity and magical ability a secret, finds her destiny in an elemental with no recollection of who he is, forcing her to reveal the secrets from her own dark past to save this dangerous creature.
When Eleanor West’s School for Wayward Children’s mean girl discovers her talent for finding absolutely anything, new student Antsy searches for a way back to the Shop Where Lost Things Go to be sure Vineta and Hudson are keeping their promise.
In 1943, 14-year-old Massimo, rescued by a mysterious man called Pietro Houdini who preserves the treasures within the Benedictine abbey’s wall, accompanies him on a World War II art-heist adventure where they lie, cheat, steal, fight, kill and sin to survive, while smuggling Renaissance masterpieces they’ve rescued from the“safe keeping” of the Germans.
In 1951, Blackburn Gant, the sole caretaker of a hilltop cemetery in Blowing Rock, North Carolina, is charged with caring for his best friend’s wife, Naomi, when he is drafted to serve overseas, and as Blackburn and Naomi grow closer and closer, a shocking revelation upends numerous lives.
When sixteen-year-old Matt Logan and his friend Danny Dugan ran away from an orphanage, they went west. There, they met Jim Bridger, among other mountain men, and became fur trappers. But the market for beaver plews died out, and the two friends took on jobs as wagon train guides. They eventually separated, hoping to meet again. One of the trains Matt picks up in Independence began its journey in St. Louis, led by widower Cody McNair. Cody was a well experienced leader, having once been the captain of an ocean-going sailing ship. His adult son and daughter, Jared and Ellen, make the trip with him. Also a part of the wagon company is Lon Baker, his wife Norma, and their eight-year-old daughter, Precious. Lon had been a slave on the McNair farm. When Cody’s father died, Cody had sold the farm and granted Lon his freedom. Lon, in turn, followed Cody to serve as a crewman on his ship. The two were now best friends and were embarking on this new adventure together. On the journey west, tension develops with some of the members of the train, and Cody and Matt are tasked with keeping things in check as the train endures the rigors of travel on their way to Oregon City, Oregon.
When a Category 5 hurricane is poised to hit their coastal Florida town, the Davies family takes refuge in their waterfront manse. Marlowe, Lee, and their teenage twins invite their close friends to wait out the storm in comfort and style. Uninvited are the three strangers who dock on the family’s shore right before the storm descends. Brothers Jason and Bo―and Bo’s girlfriend, Darcy―are a charming, helpful trio in need of a safe haven that the Davies are only too happy to provide. But as the storm outside grows more threatening, so does the tension in the house. Soon, the lines between family, friends, and strangers blur. Danger mounts with every pointed finger and broken confidence, and long-held secrets are revealed one after another until only one truth remains: not everyone is going to make it out alive.
When Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore dies, her adopted son, Camden, rejects his inheritance, settling into a normal life as an English teacher in Colorado and marrying Jules, a woman just as eager to escape her own messy past. Ten years later, his uncle’s death pulls Cam and Jules back into the family fold and questions about the infamous heiress come to light. What really happened to those four husbands, who all died under mysterious circumstances? And why did she adopt Cam in the first place? Soon, Jules and Cam realize that an inheritance can entail far more than what’s written in a will–and that the bonds of family stretch far beyond the grave
Taylor Wolfe tells the story of her wonderfully codependent relationship with her dog, and what he taught her about chosen family and the rewards of motherhood.
“Every day, psychotherapist Dr. Annie Zimmerman meets clients in her private London practice who are struggling with their lives. They’re committed to achieving personal growth, making changes-but they’re struck at the question stage. They ask her: Why can’t I sleep? Why do I keep going back to a bad relationship? Why did I lose my temper? What is wrong with me? Here’s the thing: nothing is wrong with them. It’s just that they’re asking themselves the wrong questions. In Your Pocket Therapist, Dr. Zimmerman helps readers delve into their past to identify old, unhelpful patterns and teach them how to unlock the present. The book combines practical tools with anecdotes gleaned from the therapy room, distilling complex psychological concepts with her signature warmth and empathy. Her belief-galvanized by her hundreds of thousands of followers-is that if we learn to understand the roots of our suffering, we can bring about meaningful-and permanent-change in our lives. It comes down to learning how to ask the right questions. A brilliant, necessary toolkit for those who want to break free from past patterns and embrace a life of abundant self-awareness and connection, Your Pocket Therapist is an absolute must-read in the field of psychology”
Introducing the Swedish concept of njuta, which is about simplicity and intent in every aspect of life, this empowering and engaging guide offers advice for incorporating njuta into any lifestyle, showing you how to relax and consciously seize the moment to enrich and deepen your life. Illustrations.
The TikTok superstar and founder of Tunnel Vision, a progressive and employee-centric clothing company, discusses her days living paycheck to paycheck while offering no-nonsense advice on taking control of your own financial life and building wealth.
The founder of Journey to Launch and the host of an award-nominated podcast of the same name offers her seasoned expertise, providing readers with the resources they need for spending and saving responsibly as they embark on a journey to financial freedom and independence.
Drawing on centuries of disputation and deep vision from luminaries like Nietzsche, Einstein and the creators of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a physicist reveals the multiplicity of multiverses that scientists have imagined to make sense of our reality. Illustrations.
A trauma psychologist, professor and sound bath meditation healer offers scientific research and practical exercises to help the pain of unhealed emotions and inherited trauma and transform that pain into intergenerational abundance.
“In Come Hungry, Melissa shares her favorite everyday recipes and tips for creating nourishing, delicious meals the whole family will love. With flavorful ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions, Melissa encourages home cooks of all levels to cook outside of their comfort zones and reveals her go-to techniques for creating the perfect bite”
The Fort Scott Downtown Pavilion is located between Old Fort Blvd. and Stanton Street on North National Avenue and construction is slated for completion in mid-January.
A new 70-foot by 150-foot pavilion is in the works for downtown Fort Scott between Old Fort Blvd. and Stanton Street on North National Avenue.
The Fort Scott Farmers Market Pavilion, or Fort Scott Downtown Pavilion is part of many additions in “The Gathering Square” in Fort Scott’s vibrant downtown district, according to Fort Scott Mayor Matthew Wells.
Matthew Wells. Submitted photo.
‘The farmers market pavilion would aim to be a dynamic community hub,” according to a press release from Wells. “This outdoor pavilion stands in the original location of the first farmer’s market in the community’s history and champions access to fresh produce by hosting the Farmers Market every Tuesday and Saturday from May to October. Beyond the market, the pavilion transforms into a cultural stage.”
“The current plan is to make it available to rent , like Riverfront Park, or the (Gunn Park) shelter houses,” Wells said. “The city has first right-of-refusal on any use other than the set times guaranteed to the farmers market.”
This gathering space offers Bourbon County’s farmers a direct link to the community, fostering healthier lifestyles with the offering of fresh produce and enhancing local commerce, he said.
The pavilion is constructed with sustainability and adaptability in mind, and the design aligns with the International Building Code of 2015, according to the press release.
The pavilion committee also envisions music, theater, and community gatherings coming alive in the space.
It is adjacent to the newly constructed splash pad and sensory park that was constructed last summer.
Also on the horizon is a much-needed public restroom near the site.
“The site (for the new restrooms) has been chosen, plumbing ran underground, and funding secured,” Wells said.
About The Pavilion Construction
The pavilion project is backed by the City of Fort Scott, a grant from T-Mobile, a grant from the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation, private donations, and other grants that have been applied for and will be awarded soon, Wells said.
“As the price of steel was set to go up by a combined 35%, the Fort Scott City Commission had the forethought to order steel before the skyrocket in price,” Wells said. “As the grants come in, money will be replaced. The city was requested to match at least 1/2 the project cost according to grants.”
Sprouls Construction Inc., Lamar, MO is the general contractor for the pavilion construction project, which began in mid-November and is slated to be finished by mid-January
“We bid the project a long time ago,” Kevin Rooks, Sproul spokesman said. “But we didn’t start working until mid-November 2023.”
“(The project) went through several committees that I was not on, and went through many design and location changes,” Wells said. “When we reformed the committee we focused on a site, a site plan, and design. Partnering with the sensory park and splash pad committee we developed the idea for the ‘gathering square’ .”
A final site had to be chosen, and the commission as a whole had to decide on how best to move forward.
“The commission chose progress and what was best, and most cost-effective for our citizens,” Wells said.
The building is constructed of pre-engineered metal and Sprouls Constructin is currently trying to get the roof panels on.
“We hope the wind will quit,” he said. “All the conditions have to be right (for safely installing the roof panels).”
“We anticipate the completion is mid-January,” Rook said. “If the weather cooperates, it will be sooner.”
The structure will be painted black when the weather is warmer and dryer, Rook said. “Hopefully, by June.”
There are more phases to the project.
“We would like to put electricity and lighting, and then we would like to wrap the columns in stone,” he said. “And when the blockhouse has the new siding put on, incorporate a matching wood, possibly around the top as a skirt.”
The pavilion committee consists of:
Lindsay Madison
Bailey Lyons
Rachel French
Angie Simons
Bill Michaud
Brad Matkin
Mary Wyatt
Josh Jones
Tayton Majors
Rob Harrington
Matthew Wells
