Wednesday, July 13th, was an exciting day for Whiting. Citizens gathered downtown to witness a ribbon cutting ceremony that would change every city event for the rest of their lives. The grand opening of Whiting’s first ever entertainment plaza was the beginning of a whole new era of recreation.
Sheridan Plaza, so named for the street it sits on, is nothing like anything Whiting has ever had. It is a pocket park with a stage in its rear corner. It is a meeting place for like individuals. It is an oasis of nature amidst a brick and mortar block that can only trend upward.
“The stage is going to be great,” said City of Whiting’s Director of Communication, Amy Baran. “It’s finally done so we wanted to celebrate it’s completion. One of the big things we wanted to do was have a small performance act. We want people to see one of the very many things that the space can be utilized for.”
Returning home for a local music tour was dreamy indie pop artist Katie Day. She grew up in Munster but has settled in cities all over the country. Her current house sits in Los Angeles. As part of Day’s schedule, she agreed to be the first performer at the Sheridan Plaza.
After her first song, she could already tell you how great the sound is on the pocket sized stage.
“It’s a good boost for culture,” Day commented. “A lot of different kinds of artists will be able to come out and play and draw a crowd.”
Day performed a handful of songs from her collection, including a new single about the Cubs winning the World Series.
“I think it’s a great small concert venue,” agreed Mark Harbin, the Projects and Procurement Manager for the City of Whiting. “It’s something we’ve never had in downtown Whiting. What this does is give you a permanent stage, a location that we can block the road off, and have a number of small talents perform. Anything from art fairs to comedy to music.”
The idea was hatched last summer and took three and a half months to design. Fred Prazeau, Partner and Professional Landscape Architect for Context Design, created a venue that holds 80 to 100 neighbors at a time.
“Really,” he said, “What’s important in a civic space like this, on a main street, is to have a pocket park that can be that destination. It might be a performance like you’re seeing today, it might be artwork that will sit in the plaza at the corner. It will be a place where you might grab a sandwich and roam on down to the park. It’s so important in small towns to have that sitting space.”
The creation of the park was a collaboration between contractors and the City officials themselves. Mayor Joe Stahura, the man behind the budget, came to see in living color the blueprinted dream he approved so many months ago.
“We’re always looking for ways to improve quality of life in this town,” Mayor Stahura said. “This plaza was a largely unused area because it was very difficult to build on. We decided to try to add a spot to where we can bring people downtown to enjoy the city, and also to support the businesses.”
The stage will host regular programs. Baran and Harbin will be planning performances side by side, and figuring out the best ways to integrate the plaza into Whiting’s annual festivals. The Sheridan Plaza’s first major test run will be the Indiana Mayor’s Roundtable on Day One of Pierogi Fest.