Five potential locations for an outdoor amphitheater are being considered by the South Whidbey Parks and Recreation District.

Parks Commissioners Bob Hezel and Mark Helpenstell recently met with representatives of the Rotary Club of South Whidbey, a partner in the project, to discuss potential locations, ideas and planning process for the amphitheater.

Two new locations were identified by the parties. One is near the skate park in a wooded area situated on a small hill and the other is near the entrance of Community Park and Waterman Loop.

“It was an exploratory meeting,” Helpenstell said. “We know there’s been a community interest in some kind of amphitheater or stage or some kind of venue for performing groups.”

Three other locations were in consideration prior to the meeting, which include where concerts are currently held in Community Park, the Sports Complex Soccer Field 4 and a five-acre parcel near South Whidbey Assembly of God. The five-acre parcel was acquired by the district in June 2007 in a Trust Land agreement with the Department of Natural Resources, according to district Director Doug Coutts.

The current amphitheater often runs into time conflicts with recreation and sports activities.

“If we move concerts to a location that isn’t a conflict, how do things change?” Helpenstell said. “Can we expect the same volume of folks on a weekend night? If we expect more, do we expect 10 percent more, or 200 percent more? I don’t think any of us know, so trying to anticipate that becomes very challenging.”

The proposed amphitheater is a part of the district’s comprehensive plan. The project would likely be built as a multi-use structure, serving also as a picnic shelter and a meeting location for various activities. Coutts said those might include concerts, theatrical events and educational presentations.

Coutts also said the amphitheater could be included in the campground design process. As they’re developing the campground, Helpenstell said it would be beneficial to look at placing amenities such as restrooms and power where it could service camping but also a potential amphitheater.

The identified landing spots for an amphitheater have not been evaluated by the commissioners yet. Coutts said they will wait until the planning process for the campground is further along to see if it may fit into the design.

“I don’t think that we’re limited to those five, I think that they were the ones that kind of felt like they had some obvious upfront potential,” Helpenstell said. “Any of those locations has its advantages and has some challenges. And obviously, depending on where you place it, those things become a factor in the cost of doing business too.”

It was the first meeting between the Rotary Club of South Whidbey and the district. The club approached the district initially and expressed interest in helping fund the amphitheater through donations and community support. Helpenstell said that he learned from the representatives that the club had done a wine tasting fundraiser at Whidbey Island Center for Arts and raised roughly $6,000. Helpenstell said wine tasting may become a future activity at the amphitheater.

The support from the South Whidbey club will likely assist in costs for the amphitheater. Because there are many factors that might affect the price tag, such as offering electricity, Coutts did not have an estimate for what it may cost.

“If it’s just a flat piece of grass, it could be very inexpensive,” Coutts said. “If it’s more of an amphitheater type where there is terracing land, putting in a stage, getting power, and storage for equipment, it could be more costly. It really depends on how far we go with the scope of the project and what the Rotary club is able to do with that.”

Evaluating each location and its potential for utilities, power, water supplies, and how those factors will impact construction costs are on the docket moving forward, Coutts said. The number of attendees, whether the location will make the amphitheater more attractive than previously and how it changes current Parks plans will also be in consideration.