Independent file photo The structure of the band shell in Marshall’s Liberty Park has been deteriorating, city staff said. The city plans to move forward with efforts to replace the structure.

MARSHALL — Plans to replace Marshall’s city band shell moved forward this week.

At Tuesday’s meeting of the Marshall City Council, council members authorized city staff to request proposals to design a new band shell. They also voted to establish a committee that would help with the planning process.

The current band shell, located at Liberty Park, was constructed in 1951. While the band shell has hosted municipal band concerts, plays and other community events, over the years it has developed cracks and significant problems with its foundation, city staff said.

“Any heavy load on the structure is a definite concern,” City Administrator Sharon Hanson said.

“It’s served the community well. But it’s structurally deficient now, and it needs to be replaced,” said Marshall Mayor Bob Byrnes.

“Last year we went to the Legislature to request funding for this,” Byrnes said. “We didn’t get direct funding, but we were one of eight communities that were invited to submit a grant application for funding that went to the Minnesota Historical Society.”

“We received notice last Friday afternoon that the grant was received,” he said.

Hanson said the city had also received a $100,000 donation from the Marshall Sunrise Rotary for the project.

Hanson said initial estimates to replace the band shell were at just over $1 million.

Marshall Parks and Recreation Superintendent Preston Stensrud gave a possible timeline for replacing the band shell. The city hopes to finalize a request for proposals for a consulting engineering firm in January.

“This year would really be a design year, not so much of a build year,” he said. “Then we would focus on construction in 2027.”

Byrnes said the city also recommended the formation of a citizens’ committee to help with the planning process for a new band shell. The recommended makeup of the committee would include two city council members, one member of the Marshall Area Fine Arts Council, a city band director, a member of the Southwest Minnesota State University music program, a representative of SMSU Theater, a member of the Marshall Area Stage Company, a member of the Marshall Convention and Visitors Bureau and a resident of the neighborhood around the band shell.

Byrnes said council members James Lozinski and See Moua-Leske had agreed to serve on the committee.

Council members voted to establish the citizens’ committee. In a separate motion, they also voted to prepare an RFP for engineering and architectural services.