Editorial: Donation to fund wonderful arts project

Published 12:04 am Thursday, December 8, 2016

In partnership with the Community Foundation of Northwest Georgia, Jeanne Burr has donated $1 million to support the arts in Dalton by helping to provide a performance venue. In return, the city has designated the site of the Lee Printing building as a permanent park. As we would all have hoped, the council members unanimously voted to move forward with this wonderful project.

The donation will provide $300,000 for physical improvements at the site, including the construction of a “first class” performing stage and associated facilities. It also provides for a $500,000 endowment that will distribute $25,000 a year to support events and performances. The remaining $200,000 will be held for additional support. The Downtown Dalton Development Authority will manage the facility, and the city will be responsible for maintaining the property.

This type of donation to our community is so very special, and we must all celebrate Burr for her generosity. Beyond that, the City Council has had plans and ideas to create a park inside downtown Dalton. This is a perfect marriage of public and private resources, but we believe the city of Dalton needs to look at the idea of going a little further.

We believe the City Council should go beyond agreeing to create a park and maintaining the facility. We’d like to see the city match part of Burr’s donation with taxpayer funding. If $300,000 can create a “first class” facility, then another $300,000 could make it “state of the art.”