The
citizens of Cannon Beach are being presented with a once in a
lifetime opportunity: the much discussed and long awaited fate
of Cannon Beach Elementary School is being decided by the city
planning commission. Three of the options are: a park; a park
and affordable housing; a park and high density housing. Although
no one would argue against the need for affordable housing in
Cannon Beach, it’s the fourth option that represents the
real opportunity for the city: a combination of park and cultural
center.
If “cultural” includes the arts, the existing buildings
could easily be adapted to provide studio and classroom space
as well as lodging for visiting artists and artists in residence.
Such a facility would be a magnet for local, regional and national
artists and could revive the energy of the now defunct Haystack
Program. Cannon Beach has long enjoyed a reputation as an “arts
community”; today, it could be more accurately described
as a gallery community. Art is an experience that ends in a gallery;
it begins with people doing art. With a cultural/arts center,
Cannon Beach could be, once again, a place where art is made,
not just sold.
Whatever plan is adopted, it should include preserving the gymnasium:
the largest performance space in the city. Tolovana Arts Colony
has staged three concerts in the gym. Our experience showed that,
with acoustic baffles hung from the ceiling (an inexpensive installation),
the gymnasium would become a concert hall suitable for everything
from chamber music and chanting Tibetan monks to touring dance
companies and theater in the round. To lose this room before it
has a chance to be what it can be would be worse than a shame.
Please let your voice be heard. We won’t have a chance like
this again.
—
Michael Burgess
