What constitutes a vibrant, healthy community? According to some local business people, an important element for our downtown includes promoting increased traffic by excavating for more parking, cementing the top of the hole, lining up Japanese snowbell trees in containers and calling it a “plaza.”
The design for the space in front of our beautiful Performing Arts Center, which our City Council agreed to support, includes landscaping, seating, a fountain, a cafe and a remodeled Key Bank structure that will provide our community with a world class performing arts educational program for our children. Yes, we have multiple venues in Everett for the performing arts. But only Village Theatre/KidStage provides our children with the full range of education and training in theater performance with professional, highly skilled teachers, choreographers, directors and musicians.
Did you know that one of the Village Theatre/KidStage performers, 16-year-old Caitlin Kinnunen, landed a role this summer in the New York Broadway musical “Spring Awakening?” Currently, the Village Theatre Kidstage program tucks its classes into hallways, on the stairs, in the open balcony space. Still, the program grows and thrives because of the hard-working, creative, dedicated staff, volunteers and parents.
The PAC design creates an open space in the downtown core, a place to meet, eat lunch in the sun, listen to water from the fountain, let the kids run a bit, find out about city happenings, grab a latte, read a book, or rest before returning to work. Imagine a summertime outdoor concert, or maybe the kids from the theater classes performing for you as you sip your latte.
A beautiful downtown park and educational program for our kids, or underground parking and more downtown traffic? Let’s make a choice for a healthy future.
Rebecca Frevert
Everett
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