Show Fight of Seismic Proportions Leslie Conder Community reporter The Bountiful City Council which has been postponing g ga a decision on will announce whether the vacant indoor swimming pool will become the new Bountiful Performing Arts Theatre or the Historical Soc Society's ety's museum on Oct 24 Meanwhile the Bountiful Performing Arts Center is trying to get all the support they can Bountiful City Council has been postponing making a decision to whom it will willward award ward the building The council last postponed the decision by doing a seismic study to see how much earthquake- earthquake proofing the building would cost cast prospective owners These seismic upgrades could cost up to 1 million The has already raised nearly in donations Their goal is isto isto isto to raise because the city has agreed if they accept the proposal to match funds If they choose to sell the pool to another developer they will make some sonic quick cash but lose a lot of revenue in the long term said Wright The had their eyes set on the building nearly six years ago With the popularity of the growing it is time for the theatre to expand The has a key to the building and has been using it for storage of props and costumes Two proposals oppose the One proposal is from the Historical Society which would turn the old building into a museum Although we support the Historical Society and would love to see them find finda a true historical building or home for their museum we believe that the best use of the building is for fora a theatre said Wright Bountiful City is an old city in need of revitalization The addition of new shops and buildings is beginning to bring this old city into the new century One of the best ways to help revitalize a struggling old downtown and to bring revenue to the local restaurants and stores is Seismic battle Continued on Page 3 B Bountiful's Seismic Battle Continued from Page 1 t tto to have a nice community theatre said Wright Patrons have been watching performances in inthe inthe inthe the cramped seat 99 site located in the basement of the Davis Bountiful-Davis Art Center Bountiful City Fire Marshall told Wright that he needed to vacate the premise put in a sprinkler system or limit the audience size to 49 people Prior to this the theatre was selling out every show evolved from the theold theold theold old Bountiful Community Theatre which originated in 1974 We are the oldest performing arts group in Davis County and one of the oldest in the state of Utah has also received much acclaim and accolades for our productions over the thelast last five years said Wright He continued is financially sound We have outgrown our little 1 seat OO-seat black box theatre Wright is frustrated with the city councils council's postponement as well as there having to be a decision at all It amazes me that Bountiful the most fiscally sound community in Davis County with County with no debt and andover andover andover over in liquid cash reserves reserves reserves-doesn't doesn't think twice about dumping mill ions into a new recreation center that will COST the city year after year said Wright But they are not jumping at the chance to spend less than for matching funds in order to have an impressive and beautiful community performing arts center Wright believes that the city has a moral obligation to the arts that it should support the arts as much as asit asit asit it supports the sports and recreational activities Hopefully the city will do the right thing and give us the pool said Wright Anyone interested in signing a petition in favor of the new project can visit Plans for the renovation are also on the |