Dear Editor:
No matter what improvements are made to our community here in SCC, the elephant in the room will always be the dated look of the SCC Shopping Plaza. Residents realize they are not CA [Community Association] buildings but it sure would be an asset to the community if a shopping center located in the heart of SCC could reflect a look more in tune with the year 2014.
As the millions of baby boomers start their search for the perfect retirement community, they have a lot of options to consider, many of which are much more updated than our own. The CA is “sprucing up” our buildings for just this reason.
I hope the Plaza owners see the benefit to doing the same with the shopping center. These potential newcomers will not only be SCC residents but SCC retail consumers. If they don’t come, not only does the CA lose, so does the Plaza. It is my understanding that some community volunteers along with support from our Community Manager have met with Plaza Owners and been assured that in fact a facelift is forthcoming.
IF we actually see work beginning, let’s find ways to let the owners know we are pleased with their efforts. It would not take a ton of work to make a difference …. a warmer color than the bright white on the buildings, an updated color on the canopies, uniform signage and perhaps a little landscaping could go a long way.
Barbara VanEycken
Sun City Center
Dear Editor,
I am not a resident of Sun City Center, but I have lived onstage in your community and have donated my time and talents for many years as a singer and actor to help make the Rollins Theater a most “lovely way to spend an evening”.
What disappoints and disheartens me is the fact that there are people who believe that this new theater is a desire of a small group of selfish actors who are looking for a shiny new playhouse to put on their shows.
There is not one of us on The Performing Arts Club Board of Directors or any of our actors who want a new theater built in SCC solely for that purpose. The Performing Arts Club believes in the future of theater excellence in SCC and in the many cultural opportunities that a new theater will bring to its residents.
As a working actor and a frequent theater patron, I can assure you first hand that the Rollins is NOT a real theater by any stretch of the imagination, even though the Performing Arts Club raised $150,000 to create as professional a theater experience as possible for our audiences. Community Hall is NOT a real theater either. Both are under-equipped venues that provide entertainment, but which seriously lack the things necessary to be called a REAL theater. Your new SCC theater will become a vibrant community arts center located in the heart of SCC which will be easily accessible to all. The theater will feature comfortable, traditional theater seating and it will boast a variety of entertainment: movies, theater, concerts, lectures, local events and so much more. This is YOUR community and this is YOUR community theater.
Although I don’t live in SCC and won’t be voting on your referendum in December for a new theater, I applaud those visionaries among you who believe that the performing arts are vital to the future of Sun City Center and who believe a new theater is both exciting and achievable. Kudos to those who are beginning to ask questions so that they will be informed when it comes time to vote. Bravo to the residents willing to listen to both sides and come to their own conclusions. I also applaud the editor of The SCC Observer for allowing this most important issue to continue to be discussed in your Letters to the Editor, as it may be the most controversial and important vote that has been taken by the CA in a very long time. And finally a standing ovation must be given to the CA Board members who voted for the referendum to take place. Without that decision, SCC residents wouldn’t have the choice to decide.
With change comes conflict. I encourage all SCC residents to attend meetings and learn everything you can about the proposed new theater and its financing plan. Weigh the pros and cons. It is only when you fully understand everything that you will be equipped to make the vote that YOU believe will be in the best interest of the future of Sun City Center. You will have a marvelous opportunity in December to make a most important decision … a decision that will help shape the future of the performing arts in SCC forever.
Ellen Kleinschmidt
Performing Arts Club President
