Bandshell Park soon will get a face lift, and the Iowa Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects will hold a design workshop Saturday at the Ames City Water Meter Lab building, 300 E. Fifth St., to decide what aspects of the park to improve.

The park, located at the east end of Main Street, will be renovated as part of the ASLA’s 100 Parks, 100 Years program. The program was established to celebrate ASLA’s 100th anniversary by renovating 100 parks and open spaces throughout the nation.

Randy Lueth, member of the ASLA, expects about 40 people to attend the workshop, including Ames city officials, Iowa State landscape architecture students, Ames Parks and Recreation staff and community leaders, as well as people from the neighborhood association surrounding the park. He said all interested community members also are invited to attend.

“We’ve gotten a lot of interest in the possibilities of Bandshell Park,” said Lueth, who played a role in nominating Bandshell Park for this program. “It currently is one of the most unutilized resources in Ames.”

Lueth said the workshop will explain the history of the park, and participants will then generate ideas for improvements.

He said the goal of the workshop is to create a design and generate public interest in the project and fund raising.

“People will break into small groups and take two approaches,” he said. “First, we will ask them to take the dream approach and brainstorm ideas assuming that there is no budget. Then, we’ll ask them for what is realistic and do-able in Ames.”

The ASLA has directed the Iowa chapter to provide designers for the project, but funding will come from donations from businesses and private donors, said Chris Seeger, treasurer for the Iowa chapter of the ASLA. He said the City of Ames has committed a $100,000 matching contribution, and a fund-raising committee hopes to raise $300,000 for building restoration and $150,000 for the surrounding area.

Seeger encouraged ISU landscape architecture students to attend the workshop.

“It’s a unique opportunity for students to work with experienced landscape architects and exchange ideas with professionals,” Seeger said. “[Landscape architecture] students will have the chance to get hands-on experience at the workshop.”