This summer the Phoenix Community Gardens and North River Fronts Neighborhood will get a multi-faceted structure that seeks to be a community gathering space, place to store gardening tools and process crops, and collect rain water to irrigate the garden. The Phoenix Gardens Community Pavilion recently got nearly unanimous approval from Eau Claire’s parks & waterways committee, plan commission, and city council. Councilman Andrew Werthmann, who also runs the garden and is leading the fundraising efforts, is hopeful that it can be built and in use this summer. Designed by Joe Maurer (of Next Step Energy), the pavilion already has $17,000 raised in grants and donations from United Healthcare, North Barstow BID, Sacred Heart Hospital, and Holidaze Art Festival. Werthmann said it may need an additional $7,000 to $8,000, so fundraising efforts are continuing. The 1,680-square-foot structure is planned to be located on Forest Street across from the intersection of Oak, and will be an open-arch truss design aesthetically similar to Phoenix Park. It will also be an open-air shelter (no solid walls) to accommodate flood plane regulations.