Community leaders, residents, project partners and elected officials gathered June 18 to celebrate the opening of the Buckeye Block Amphitheater, marking the completion of a project years in the making on one of the village’s most historically significant sites.
The Garrettsville Area Chamber of Commerce hosted the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new amphitheater, located on the site of the former Buckeye Block, which was destroyed in the March 22, 2014, downtown fire.
Chamber President Ted Lysiak told attendees the project began not with construction plans, but with a conversation.
Speaking from the amphitheater stage, Lysiak recalled sitting outside Cellar Door Coffee Company several years ago with Chamber board members Michelle Zivoder and Ben Coll discussing ways to attract more visitors to Garrettsville. As the conversation turned toward the vacant lot across the street, they began imagining what the space could become.
“At the time, this was just an empty lot. A reminder of loss,” Lysiak said. “But that afternoon, sitting with coffee in our hands, we started talking about what could be here.”
The vision included concerts, festivals, family activities, outdoor movies, weddings and community celebrations. Lysiak said that for a brief moment, they stopped seeing an empty lot and instead saw the future community space that now stands in its place.
The chamber purchased the property in 2022 with the goal of creating a year-round destination that would increase visitor activity in downtown Garrettsville while honoring the history of the Buckeye Block and Buckeye Hall.
Construction of the amphitheater was made possible through a grant of more than $450,000 from the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission, according to Lysiak. Additional support came from The Pattie Group, which provided design expertise, and Hummel Construction, which served as the primary contractor.
Lysiak also recognized Scotchman Electric, Mayes & Sons Plumbing, the Village of Garrettsville Street Department, the Village Water Department and community members who purchased commemorative bricks and supported the project throughout its development.
Among those attending the ceremony were Mayor Rick Patrick, Village Council President Tom Hardesty, council members Rich Beatty, Fred Ahrens, Jeff Kaiser, Sheri Johnson and John Brachna, retired state Sen. John Eklund, representatives of U.S. Rep. David Joyce’s office and Portage County Commissioners Sabrina Christian-Bennett, Mike Tinlin and Jill Crawford.
Entertainment for the evening was provided by members of Thrill of the Ville, a musical group composed of James A. Garfield High School alumni. Landen Gedeon, Hallie Cebulla and Hines Estes performed acoustic selections before and after the ceremony, helping to mark the opening of the new venue. The full Thrill of the Ville ensemble is scheduled to perform during Garrettsville Summerfest later this month.
In his remarks, Lysiak said the amphitheater represents more than a construction project.
“Great communities build gathering places,” he said. “Places where people who may disagree can still sit side-by-side and enjoy a concert. Places where children create memories. Places where neighbors become friends.”
He noted that future generations are unlikely to remember the technical details of the project, but will remember the events and experiences created there.
“They will remember the first concert. The first festival. The first child who climbed onto this lawn and started dancing,” Lysiak said.
Following the remarks, members of the Chamber board, project partners and community leaders joined together to cut the ceremonial ribbon and officially open the facility.
The Buckeye Block Amphitheater is designed to host concerts, festivals, community gatherings, private events and other public programming in the heart of downtown Garrettsville. Event reservations are now being accepted through the amphitheater’s website at http://buckeyeblock.org/reserve.
Fundraising efforts for the project continue through the sale of personalized commemorative bricks, which will be installed throughout the amphitheater grounds.
Lysiak said he hopes future generations will know the property not as the site of an empty lot, but as a place where the community gathers.
“The Buckeye Block was once a symbol of what we lost,” he said. “Today, it becomes a symbol of what we can create together.”
