July 11 is a big day for Idyllwild Community Center (ICC) events and recreation. The day will mark the much-anticipated re-opening of the playground and the first summer concert of 2019 at the new Butterfield Ampitheater.
Plenty of parking will be available for ICC events, according to Janice Lyle, ICC board president.
On the upper level, the new parking area has more than 140 spaces. Nearly 90 spaces from the Idyllwild Brewpub to the Butterfield Amphitheater are available on the lower level.
Lyle encourages people to bring chairs to sit in while watching and listening to the concerts. Currently, the area is covered in wood chips and sitting on the ground might be less comfortable than expected.
There are still several projects to finish—one is the sitting area on the hillside facing the stage.
“Between events, the amphitheater and lower parking will be closed until some other projects, such as signage, are completed,” Lyle stated. “But the whole upper area will remain completely open.
“I’m hopeful all goes well,” she said cautiously.
The Riverside County Planning Commission approved the conditional use permit for the ICC site on Dec. 7, 2016. The groundbreaking ceremony was on May 26, 2018.
After many years, Idyllwild will have a community center site.