Corbin Downtown plans new gazebo/stage, lighting, landscaping for NIBROC Park

Plans are in the works to make NIBROC Park in Corbin more user friendly when it comes to hosting events.

Corbin Downtown Director Andy Salmons said among the changes to the park at the corner of North Main and First streets is the construction of a gazebo that will double as a stage and the installation of additional lighting.

Salmons said when events such as “Moonbow Nights” are held at the park, organizers must rent and set up a stage and run extension cords to a utility pole that has an electrical outlet.

The gazebo, which will be a larger, more elaborate version of the one near the Railroad Street Bridge, will have electric outlets and possibly a small sound system. In addition, storage space for tables and chairs will be built in to allow for the removal of the storage building at the rear of the park.

Salmons said the gazebo would be built near the space that the shed currently occupies.

Salmons said a quote to build what he envisions came in at around $19,000, but emphasized that was several years ago.

“We will be working on getting that quote renewed,” Salmons said. “Once that is done, we will be sure to let the commission know.”

Salmons said depending on the quote, the project may be something Corbin Downtown could finance.

The goal is to have the project completed by the time the Farmers Market begins in April.

“If we have to write a grant for it, that would delay the project,” Salmons said.

As to the lighting, Salmons said he envisions using strings of lights from nearby light poles to the neighboring buildings and the gazebo, while also installing accent lighting near the trees and landscaping.

“I went walking after dark and, right now, it is completely dark,” Salmons said of the lighting situation.

“We want to leave it open in the middle like it is now,” Salmons said of the park layout. “I’m in the process of reaching out to different people who do this professionally.”

Salmons said his goal is to increase the use of the park by enticing more people to hold events there and to just draw more visitors to it.

“I can imagine all kinds of events that people can have there,” Salmons said, adding that the gazebo will make the park available even in bad weather or with the threat of bad weather.