Theater folks feel let down

In his candidate's statement, incumbent Calabasas Councilmember Dennis Washburn states that "We're (the city) embarked on a two-year Civic Center project to deliver a spectacular library-theater-amphitheater complex and our own Calabasas City Hall to serve us for decades."

I would like to know what "spectacular theater complex" he is referring to. The designated space to which candidate Washburn refers is not a theater at all, but rather a multipurpose room with a warming kitchen in the back of the new library building. The amphitheater is a grass slope behind the library in front of a hillside which reflects freeway noise on to the site. Neither of these spaces can even remotely be called a "spectacular theater complex" and to refer to them as such is completely misleading and disingenuous to say the least.

For the record, only Spotlight the Arts has put forth a comprehensive proposal to create a performing arts center at the civic center. At the request of the city, Spotlight prepared a costly feasibility study and site plan paid for by members of the community through donations and various fundraising events. The feasibility study proved most favorably that a performing arts center was a viable and worthy addition to our community.

Both the feasibility study and site plan were shelved and never completely evaluated, and the "promised" civic center building site is now slated to become a parking lot.

Many Spotlight members and others in the greater Calabasas community have worked very hard over the last three years to help create a "first-class performing arts center" that we could all be proud of and future generations could enjoy for many years to come. Needless to say, for the city of Calabasas to abandon their promised cooperation in this endeavor has proved exceedingly disappointing, if not to say painful, for everyone who donated their time and resources to create a legacy for Calabasas.
Gary Maxwell
Calabasas