COEUR d’ALENE — Ali Shute was more than happy at the groundbreaking Wednesday for the Idaho Central Credit Union Amphitheater at Riverstone.

“This is the best day ever,” the executive director of the Coeur d’Alene Arts and Culture Alliance said to about 50 people who gathered for the event.

There was good reason for Shute’s smile.

This summer, performers in the alliance’s popular Thursday concert series will have shade, thanks to fundraising efforts since 2019 that brought in $175,000.

The money is paying for a shade structure over the amphitheater set on the edge of the Riverstone pond.

“It’s been years of having this idea of having a cover for the stage and and giving the bands some sense of relief. The sun can be brutal,” Shute said.

Sans shade, musicians for years have played in what is known as “The Frying Pan.” One performer even suffered a minor heatstroke.

“We don’t want that to happen to our performers,” Shute said.

On Monday, Ginno Construction is scheduled to begin the project that sits on an old mill site. Work includes drilling holes 14 feet deep and about 3 feet wide for posts to hold the sails that will be about 75 feet by 45 feet.

Completion is expected by the end of April.

“It’s underway. There’s no stopping it now,” said Sean Statkus, project superintendent.

The city will maintain the structure and sails, which will come down each fall.

Mayor Jim Hammond said Riverstone Park and the amphitheater provide a unique setting, but come July and August, the evening concerts have faced a heated challenge from the west-setting sun.

Other events, such as weddings, are also held there.

“It’s a beautiful location,” Shute said.

The shade cover should cool things off.

“Our artists and guests will now enjoy a much better setting,” Hammond said.

The shade project was made possible through many small, and large, donations.

An anonymous donor contributed $40,000; ignite cda, $35,000; the Coeur d’Alene Arts Commission, about $20,000; Idaho Central Credit Union contributed $40,000 for naming rights.

John Stone, David and Susan Denton, the Margaret Reed Foundation, Ruth Pratt and Doug Fagerness and First Interstate Bank were also cited for their donations.

Shute was delighted so many wanted to help.

“I just kept putting the word out there,” she said.