NEENAH — Pickard Auditorium, one of the cherished venues of the greater Neenah community, is in line for a $4.5 million renovation.
The project will not involve tax dollars or be put to a referendum by the Neenah Joint School District.
"The intent is for it to be 100% fundraised," district communications manager Jim Strick told The Post-Crescent. "That's the goal right now. We're in the process of organizing a fundraising committee before we kick off any campaign. Nothing has officially begun yet for people to begin donating to it."
If the fundraising goes according to plan, the school district would begin construction sometime in 2025.
The renovation plans and conceptual drawings were unveiled at a recent community meeting. About 30 people, including representatives of the performing arts community, attended.
"The feedback was very positive about it," Strick said. "People feel there is a need there."
Pickard Auditorium is located within Neenah Middle School, 1275 Tullar Road. It opened opened in 1972 and has undergone few changes or upgrades since then. Stars such as George Benson, Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Waylon Jennings, B.B. King, Howie Mandel, Anne Murray, Willie Nelson, Wayne Newton, the Oak Ridge Boys, Kenny Rogers, Red Skelton, the Statler Brothers and Roger Whittaker have performed at Pickard in the past.
The project will upgrade the seats in Pickard and create a center aisle and accessible seating areas. The auditorium and lobby will receive new acoustics, carpeting, lighting, and heating and cooling systems.
The facility will seat nearly 1,500 people and look similar to the new Performing Arts Center at Neenah High School that has a capacity of 850, the school district said.
The work also will update the exterior entrance to the recently named Shattuck Performing Arts Center, which encompasses the lobby and music suites around the auditorium. No major structural changes are part of the plan.
Anyone interested in assisting with the fundraising campaign is encouraged to call Jon Joch, the district's chief financial officer, at 920-751-6800, extension 10102, or email him at jjoch@neenah.k12.wi.us.
Contact Duke Behnke at 920-993-7176 or dbehnke@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DukeBehnke.
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