W.O.W. Hall Gets Renovation Assist from RiverBend Materials Through Business Engagement Program
Deborah Maher, Executive Director of the W.O.W. Hall, and Steve Smith, General Manager at RiverBend Materials, a CRH Company, make an unlikely pair. But when Maher visited RiverBend Materials’ facility during a Chamber-sponsored Roundtable +Tour program during the summer, she met Allison Smith, sales representative from RiverBend, who was running the tour.
The Springfield Chamber‘s tour of RiverBend Materials on July 23rd constituted the second installment of the three-part Summer Roundtable Series entitled The Life Cycle of Pothole, focused on the construction/aggregate industry, and how the materials needed for vital infrastructure are processed and transported to work sites.
Attendees hopped on a bus, courtesy of Lane Transit District, and got a firsthand look at RiverBend’s rock crushing equipment in action. Back at the training site, workforce development initiatives were discussed, as some attendees even got an opportunity to take a turn on state-of-the-art training simulators and test out their truck driving skills.
After the tour, Maher approached Smith with a proposal.
As the W.O.W. Hall approaches its 50th anniversary (1975-2025), Maher has instituted the Business Engagement Program, which enables the beloved all-ages live music venue/meeting space to get necessary improvements from community partners in the region. Maher asked Smith if they were interested in participating, and in a matter of weeks, the gravel was on its way to the W.O.W. Hall.
“These guys were great. Not only did they bring two huge loads of gravel, but they expertly flattened the rock with their trucks, saving us that expense as well. This surface is permeable to rain, and will allow much-improved access for our performers and vendors to load in and out of the venue.”
– Deborah Maher, Executive Director, W.O.W. Hall
The partnership between RiverBend Materials and W.O.W. Hall is part of a larger initiative to complete improvements on the building in preparation for the venue’s 50th anniversary in 2025. In celebration, once every month throughout the year, there will be special performances culminating in WOWathon 2, slated for December of 2025 (the first WOWathon took place during the same month in 1975).
Chambers of Commerce love when their members join forces to create positive change in the community. The Springfield Chamber would like to join the W.O.W. Hall in thanking RiverBend Materials for their contribution to the performing arts community in the Eugene/Springfield area, as well as their general support for community partnerships.
More about the W.O.W. Hall
Community Center for the Performing Arts (CCPA) was founded by a group of dedicated volunteers who saved the W.O.W. Hall from destruction in 1975 with a WOWathon where musicians performed nonstop for one whole weekend. This generated enough money to make a down payment, and the mortgage was paid off in 1978. The building was the original site of the Woodmen of the World, a fraternity that supported timber workers and their families, built in 1932. The W.O.W. Hall is known for its amazing dance floor and is one of three “floating” dance floors in Oregon. For decades, the WOW Hall has featured diverse performances and offered community space for classes, workshops, lectures, meetings, rehearsals, recording sessions, and events.
More about RiverBend Materials, a CRH Company
For over 100 years, RiverBend Materials has been serving the Willamette Valley. We are The Preferred Source of quality sand, rock, landscape products, ready mix concrete, asphalt, paving and construction. Whether your next project is large or small, you can count on RiverBend Materials for quality products and excellent service.
