Printer-Friendly
Email this Story
Post a Comment (0)
Town approves feasibility study for arts center
Leesburg Town Council approved funding Oct. 23 of a study to look into the feasibility of a performing arts center in Leesburg.A 5-1-1 vote granted the town's Performing Arts Task Force $35,000 for the study. Mayor Kristen Umstattd was the lone no vote, and Councilman Marty Martinez was absent from the meeting.
The town agreed to fund the study with the stipulation that the task force would receive the grant after the council and the town's Economic Development Commission reviewed the scope of the study.
Sandra Kane, chair of the Performing Arts Task Force, appealed to the town Oct. 22 at its work session for the funds to conduct the feasibility study.
Kane said the study would propose locations for the center, show economic impact on the town and explore the project's funding.
If the Town of Leesburg wants to benefit from the economic development an arts center would bring, the town needs to get involved, said Kane.
Most town council members agreed.
“I think it's a well-spent expenditure of the taxpayers' money,” said Councilwoman Kelly Burk, who is running for Leesburg supervisor in November's election. Burk has argued that a performing arts center in Leesburg needs to be a private sector initiative with the support of the town.
She and her opponent, incumbent Supervisor Jim Clem, have debated the financial and planning role the town should have in bringing a performing arts center to town.
Clem, like some on the town's council, is looking for a joint effort among the town, county government and private sector to bring a center to Leesburg.
Vice Mayor Susan Horne said the $35,000 would be an investment for the town that would bring gains in economic development.
Even council members like Ken Reid and Kevin Wright, both of whom had been hesitant to grant money to the task force without knowing how the money would be spent, conceded in favor of approving the grant.
“I do see the economic value in funding [the task force's] process,” Wright said. “We're got to take the first step [and] the community has to take the second [step].”
Mayor Umstattd said the money for a study was not needed since the town staff could conduct the research for free, relieving the taxpayers of the financial burden.
“I don't think the $35,000 is money [to be] well spent,” she said. “I think we can find out all that information without funding that study.”
Councilwoman Katie Hammler said the task force and the art community were “looking for the town, in particular, to take a leadership role,” which could move the town closer, faster to the goal of having a performing arts center.
Kane said the goal of the study is to determine that Leesburg is the place for an arts center.
“There are many towns of similar size ... that support such a facility,” Kane said. Leesburg is the only town in the state's 17 largest towns not to have a performing arts center, the town's task force reported earlier this month.
Kane said the task force is already looking at possible sites for the center. Included are Oaklawn, south of Leesburg near the town's airport; the Loudoun Times-Mirror building on Market Street; Morven Park north of Leesburg; and the Tally Ho Theatre next to Town Hall on Market Street.
Kane said it would be premature to limit the search to these sites.
The Performing Arts Center Task Force will have to submit its study plans for review by the council and EDC before it can conduct its study.
Contact the reporter at hhobbs@timespapers.com
You must be logged in to post a comment.