Ottawa Mayor Robb Hasty unveils riverfront amphitheater renderings in State of the City

Ottawa Mayor Robb Hasty unveiled official renderings of the new riverfront amphitheater Thursday in his second State of the City address.

“I’m very pleased to announce that design of the amphitheater is nearing completion with a look that calls not only to our two rivers but of the many bluffs we cherish, like Buffalo and Starved Rock,” Hasty said in front of a crowd of city officials and community stakeholders at American Legion Post 33.

Hasty said that construction will begin next spring, and the expected completion will be in May 2027.

“Design has been ongoing for our park and amphitheater,” Hasty said. “We continue to meet and discuss the finer details of the project, including the additional infrastructure of streets, sidewalks and paved surfaces.”

Along with the amphitheater, Hasty emphasized the continued development along the riverfront. He highlighted the YMCA’s new facility, which opened in May 2024.

“The $30 million project far exceeded expectations by essentially doubling its membership in the first month,” he said. “This project has truly worked as a catalyst and anchor to the long-envisioned riverfront development plan.”

Hasty acknowledged the efforts of the city’s emergency services over the past year, including the Ottawa Fire Department, Ottawa Police Department and Ottawa Central Dispatch.

He also congratulated recent retirees, former Police Chief Brent Roalson for his 28 years of service and Sgt. Brenden Donahue for his 23 years of service.

Additionally, Hasty highlighted successful new programs in the city, such as the Linked-Autism Safety Project and Text-to-911, which enables callers to send a text for help when making a voice call is unsafe.

Hasty also explained the cities financial situation.

“The city of Ottawa maintains reasonable though not excessive surpluses for this year,” Hasty said.

He said tax revenues for the current budget are expected to account for about 72.7% of total general fund revenues, down from 77.6% in 2024.

He said 17% of these tax revenues come from property taxes, while 46% are generated from sales taxes.

Hasty concluded the event by responding to anonymous written questions from the audience.

One of the questions focused on the solar farms on the east side of Ottawa.

Hasty said the city has been flooded with solar farm requests, and when combined, they almost surround the entire city. This has caused some challenges, leading to several meetings to discuss what the future could look like with these projects.

“These companies have taken a sort of ‘Wild West approach,’ and all of them are trying to get first in line. It’s become very hectic, and I know we’re not the only community dealing with it,” Hasty said.