Editor’s note: Susanne Gaudin, a member of the Maple Leaf Building Corporation, has volunteered to write a guest column about progress on the Maple Leaf Performing Arts Center. It will run on the Opinions page every two weeks per her request.
By SUSANNE GAUDIN, guest columnist
Concurrent with a very successful groundbreaking ceremony on July 10, thousands of cubic yards of dirt have been moved in preparing the 13-acre site for the construction of the Maple Leaf Performing Arts Center.
Construction notes
As you may have noticed, a new road, Maple Leaf Boulevard, has appeared just east of Salt Creek Plaza at State Road 46 East. A three-lane road, it will exclusively serve the travel needs of the performing arts center. Lanes will be shifted to allow two lanes to enter as people arrive for performances, then shift to two exit lanes when the performance ends.
Building of footers was to begin on Monday, Aug. 6, with gravel applied to the road at about the same time and proof rolling to follow.
Experts in town
During the week of Aug. 1, meetings were held with Bandit Performance Lighting sub-contractors and Stephen Durr Acoustical Design. These experts arrived for the kickoff meet-and-greet with members of the building committee and the general contractor, Brandt Construction Inc.
Searching
The search has begun for an executive director for the Maple Leaf. Over 70 applicants have applied from all over the nation with incredible resumes and skills. That number has been narrowed to eight. The executive director search committee will soon choose five from that group for the first round of interviews.
Tools for success
Working with an expert organizational consultant, the Maple Leaf volunteers will be developing a strategic plan, mission and vision statements, and a core values statement over the next two months. These tools help to improve the overall outcomes for businesses and not-for-profit companies.
Get involved
Additional committees will be formed in the near future. Opportunities abound for people to bring their expertise and be part of the Maple Leaf’s future. Volunteers will be needed on committees focusing on marketing, volunteers at the Maple Leaf, lobby/arts design and philanthropy.
Watch for these twice-a-month updates. There’s much more to come!
Susanne Gaudin is a member of the Maple Leaf Building Corporation. Send questions or comments to [email protected].
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The Brown County Democrat accepts guest opinion columns from local people who are representing a community or government group, or who are experts in a particular field. Political candidates are not eligible to write columns during their campaigns, but they can write letters to the editor. To inquire about a guest column spot, email your submission to Editor Sara Clifford at [email protected].
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