It’s a slice of Santa Barbara County’s history, where people gathered for entertainment.
It was long before there was TV, and when radio was in its infancy. On a sunny weekend afternoon, families would gather here, in Santa Barbara’s Plaza Del Mar Park. They would picnic on the grass in front of the Plaza del Mar Band Shell, listening to live music. It was built in 1919. It’s a large stage with a massive shell, covered by a beautiful Spanish style structure.
Over the decades, it fell into disrepair, to the point it was no longer safe to use. But now, it’s making a comeback.
"We are about to embark on a full-scale renovation...essentially rebuilding it. It's in pretty poor condition now. In addition to rebuilding it, we are modernizing it," said Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation District Director Jill Zachary.
She said restoring the band shell has been talked about for years. The once grand landmark has frame, roof, and stage damage. It’s been fenced off, and sitting idle.
For years, the city didn’t have the money for repairs. Now, they’ve pieced together $1.3 million for the effort. It includes $800,000 in federal funds, $275,000 from the city, and $55,000 in grants and donations from the community.
Community leaders and city officials gathered at the band shell to celebrate the start of work.
"It really connects the past with the future," said Nicole Hernandez, who is the City of Santa Barbara’s Architectural Historian.
Mary Louise Days was the city’s first historian. She helped get designated landmark status for the band shell in 1990. "It harkens back to an earlier time, in the late 19th century." She said this part of the city was an important recreation area, with the park, two community pools, and a bowling alley.
Some longtime Santa Barbara residents like Bebe Longstreet are excited about the revival of Plaza Del Mar Park, and the band shell. "It's wonderful. With this part of the park being reactivity with activities like baseball, that's what the community needs."
Zachary says restoring the shell is just part of the plan. The second part calls for restoring its role as a cultural hub for the city, with concerts and other community events.
Zachary is excited that families will once again gather in front of the band shell to hear music in the park.
The goal is to complete the renovation project by the end of the year, so it will be ready for a Spring, 2024 concert series.
