LOWELL, Mich. — For nearly 85 years, the Showboat was the center of life in Lowell and a symbol of the community.
The fifth version of the icon was torn down a year and a half ago, leaving a void along Lowell's popular Riverwalk next to the Flat River, and many hoping a new one would take its place.
Hope has become reality, as a couple large pieces of the new Showboat were delivered to Lowell Wednesday afternoon.
"We're the Showboat city," said Mike Burns, Lowell's City Manager. "The Showboat is a big deal for this community and has always been something we've been very proud of."
The most recent incarnation of the Showboat, which was built in 1979, was torn down a year and a half ago. Burns says discussions and fundraising for a new Showboat began two years prior to that.
"That's when we came up with a barge concept for the new Showboat," said Burns. "When it's completed, it'll be placed where the old one was on the river."
Wednesday morning, two large trucks, carrying two pieces of the new Showboat's bottom, left Onaway, Mi., and made their way to Lowell, arriving just before 5 p.m.
"Seeing the huge pieces roll into town will make all the work put forth feel like it was worth while," said Burns. "The bottom of the Showboat arrives today and the rest of the pieces will be delivered [Thursday]"
Burns says construction will begin immediately and should take 8 weeks. Once the new Showboat is built, it will placed in the Flat River, where the interior of the boat will then be built.
The plan is for the entire project to be wrapped up by winter.
"There's a lot of people behind the scenes who were involved in making this happen," added Burns. "Once it's done, the community will feel whole again."
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