Fundraising drive underway for historic band shell renovation at Plaza del Mar in Santa Barbara

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The final push is underway to renovate an iconic site in Santa Barbara's waterfront, and community support can put the project over the top.

The last effort is for about $50,000 to help bring back the Plaza del Mar band shell where it sits in the Pershing Park area.

It first opened to a crowd of thousands on May 4, 1919.

In recent years it has fallen into disrepair and a broad-based effort has been able to bring in most of the estimated $800,000 for the project.

The Santa Barbara City Parks and Recreations Department and its non-profit PARC Foundation for community outreach and enhancement projects are committed to seeing the band shell improvements and the use once again by many performance groups.

PARC Foundation member Ed Cavasos says, "it's a no brainer."

He sees the benefits of the improvements, and a plan to use the facility as it was intended years ago in a park setting.

"Let's get ADA access, getting electrical in there, maybe some lighting  and getting it more  of a usable facility    so it then becomes turnkey. "

The project will not be a full overhaul. "We don't have to totally tear this down, we've got to clean it up we've got to hook into the grid then we've got to start using it."

The effort is to keep the park from being under utilized and bring back its full use. "These parks have got to be utilized. We've got so many great parks in this town. We've got to do something with every single one of them," said Cavasos.

For more information or t make a donation go to: Plaza Del Mar Band Shell renovation