Last week it was my pleasure to join the Cayuga County Office of Tourism on a tour in Auburn. We spent the morning touring the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, Theater Mack, and the Auburn Public Theater, and visited the future site of the Schwartz Performing Arts Center. I was most impressed by the great facilities and the terrific venues scheduled for the season.

As part of our tour we received a briefing by the Finger Lakes Musical Theatre on the joint efforts to coordinate their programs and offerings. However, what was most interesting is the plan to use Auburn’s theater group as a catalyst to rejuvenate “downtown” life for the residents and visitors to the region in general and your community in particular. We learned a little about the research that has been conducted for this concept and the involvement of a wide cross-section of local folks to use this program for something more than the enjoyment of the arts in Auburn.

I have lived my entire life in upstate New York and have watched the decay of so many of our once fine center cities and the residents’ yearnings for the good old days when our cities had a vibrant downtown. I am sure there is some of that in Auburn — but the plans starting to unfold in 2012 are a tribute to the group’s determination to do something positive to make things better.

The can-do spirit came across loud and clear — and it is not a dream or a fantasy but a well-thought-out plan to use the arts to start a process to enhance the quality of life, to draw in new business to the downtown and to foster development in the entire community. Thanks to all involved for doing something positive in the region.

Mark Illig

Penn Yan

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