Wayne Theatre would be huge asset to downtown
Published: May 8, 2008
To all the naysayers: think about what would replace the Wayne Theatre if it were torn down, at a cost of $300,000 or more. Yet another city building? As for using the high school auditorium, the Waynesboro Concert Association has tried for many years to schedule their concerts there, but it’s pretty much booked for the high school concert choir, band, jazz band, dance, etc., although the Waynesboro Players do manage to use the facility. Unfortunately, the very minimal outside lighting in the entry area and walkway is somewhat dangerous for older folks.
How fortunate Waynesboro is to have such a driving force as the Wayne Theatre Alliance to see how critical the theater will be to the future of our downtown revitalization. The big plus will be the great acoustics!
Our theater effort has reached a critical stage, and now is the time for the City Council to offer some financial support to this historic reconstruction project.
A big “thank you” to the men and women who set such high standards for downtown Waynesboro. Following in the footsteps of the Heritage Museum and the Shenandoah Valley Art Center, the Wayne Theatre will be a huge asset.
Jeane Custin
Waynesboro
Reader Reactions
I agree that our tax dollars should not be used for the Wayne Theater, it needs to be put to better use. Some of us are on fixed incomes and can’t afford taxes to go up or to have our money misused for the Wayne Theater. They have enough private upper class people to donate the money needed.
no doubt, jeane. but it’s a frivolous expenditure for the city. the wayne theater is worth spending money on, but by people who can afford to spend money over and above the taxes they pay to the city. to force those on a fixed income, or those that struggle from paycheck to paycheck to pay additional taxes to entertain the elite, is plain old robbery, in my opinion.
our city taxes should pay for things like fire and police protection, water and sewage infastructure, government buildings necessary to run government business, education for our children. if we can’t meet the most BASIC needs, we have NO business using city money to pay for entertainment - even if the guise is to bring activity downtown.
wanna know how to get activity downtown? encourage businesses to stay open past five. wanna bring businesses downtown? find a way to keep the businesspeople from having to worry about unwanted floodwaters in their shops destroying their inventory and their buildings. want nightlife downtown? support a pub which will have live music and (uh oh) dancing!
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