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,ERATION <br /> <br />September 5, 2001 <br /> <br />To the Elk River City Council <br /> <br /> As you know, Operation ER's Center for Community Committee has been meeting over the last year to <br />research and assess the space needs of our community. According to our findings, the area in which there is the <br />greatest deficiency of space in our community is the arts: visual arts exhibit space, arts educational space for <br />all ages, and performance and presentation space. <br /> <br /> During the course of our monthly discussions, the subject of performance and presentation space has <br /> been raised. Representatives from the school district came to Operation ER to alert us that the community is in <br /> danger of losing an important asset, the senior high "little theater." At our recent meeting in August, the <br /> committee, after lengthy discussion, voted to recommend that the City of Elk River purchase the "little <br /> theatre" to secure performance and presentation space for Elk River. The rationale for this recommendation to <br /> purchase the little theatre included the following points: <br /> · Providing space for arts performances and community presentations and gatherings is an appropriate <br /> expenditure of city funds. <br /> · The school district is offering to guarantee community use of both the little theatre and the new <br /> auditorium if the purchase is made. <br /> · Th. is is~a,n o, pp. ort. unity to ob~,,ain p,,erformance space for the Elk River community at an economical <br /> price, the tittle theater is a buy at $532,000. Cost estimates to reproduce the exact same space have <br /> been cited at over $2 million. There is no other space of its kind currently in our area. <br /> · The little theatre has a value of over $100,000 in newer lighting and sound technology that will be lost if <br /> the theater is destroyed. <br /> · The newly constructed auditorium will be in high demand as the experience in the little theatre shows. <br /> Currently, the district scheduler frequently turns down applications for use of the little theatre. As our <br /> student population grows and the Zimmerman High School, the junior highs and the elementary schools <br /> utilize the senior high performance facilities, the scheduling problem will only become worse. <br /> · The little theatre could maximize the use of the new auditorium by providing rehearsal time with its <br /> technology, and supplying a place that is adequate for programs drawing smaller audiences. <br /> · Use of the auditorium for community venues would not infringe on student use. Opportunities to bring <br /> in productions such as The Guthrie Theatre, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra or a national show would <br /> be greater if the little theatre was available for other uses that didn't require the large auditorium. <br /> · Elk River's Community Theater died a few years ago in large part due to lack of performance and <br /> rehearsal space. It has begun again as the Three Rivers Community Theatre, and they need local <br /> performance space to grow and thrive. <br /> · Stage performances in Elk River are historically well-attended and valued in the Elk River community. <br /> <br /> Operation ER's Center for Community Committee also recommends that the issues of the performance <br /> space and the family/art center be considered as separate issues and not be done at the expense of the other. <br /> <br /> This is an opportunity for the City of Elk River and our school district to collaborate to meet important <br />needs of our children and, at the same time, our community at large. On behalf of the Operation ER <br />_committee, we encourage you to strongly consider the school district's proposal to save the little theatre. <br /> <br />O~_~ation ER'.s ,Center for Community Committee <br />Don Heinzman, C-'Hair - <br /> <br />Involving the Elk River community in a "great conversation" to identify and implement a shared vision. <br /> <br /> <br />