June 09, 2025
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Schweickert Pavilion in Peru to be fully funded by local family, business

City hopes to have addition complete before first summer concert June 4

By Jayce Eustice
During Monday evening’s city council meeting Mayor Scott Harl was presented the first check from Douglas J. and Rorie Schweickert and the rest of the Schweickert family. In attendance to present the $100,000 check was Douglas J. and Rorie’s son Scott Schweickert who also serves as the city’s Assistant Corporate Counsel.

Peru Mayor Scott Harl was presented the first check from Douglas J. and Rorie Schweickert and the rest of the Schweickert family. In attendance to present the $100,000 check was Douglas J. and Rorie’s son Scott Schweickert who also serves as the city’s assistant corporate counsel. The family is paying for the entire band shell project through its donations. (Jayce Eustice)

Peru’s new Centennial Park band shell will be made possible through the generosity of a local family and business. All costs will be covered through donations.

During the Feb. 1 Peru council meeting, Assistant Corporate Counsel Scott Schweickert first presented a check to the city with funds from the Douglas J. and Rorie Schweickert Family Trust.

The project will cost about $150,000, and the family has sent the city $160,000 in order to include any contingencies.

Aside from purchasing the band shell, Peru-based DJ Sickley Construction Company also will be donating its construction management services to the community project. The donation has a value of about $12,000.

The addition will be used this coming summer as Parks, Recreation and Special Events Director Adam Thorson has planned a minimum of eight music concerts with availability for the possible addition of a few more.

The band shell will be located near the location of last year’s concerts in Centennial Park. This will be constructed as a permanent structure that will need future approval from the council once the time to begin construction approaches.

The band shell will have open sides to accommodate viewers who choose to sit off center from the performers.

City officials are hopeful with cooperation from the weather, the band shell could be complete and ready for use by June 4, which is the date of the first scheduled Music in the Park concert for 2021.