Bloggin’ on the Edge

Posted by Scott Spielman at 3:00 AM | Comments

It’s been fascinating for me to watch the mural project unfold on the side of the State Wayne Theater here in Wayne.

I’ve always wished I’ve had that kind of creative talent—the ability to draw or paint or both—and so it’s been something to see the vague sketches slowly take on some semblance of the finished product, even though it hasn’t gone as fast as I thought it would. Perhaps the recent unpredictable weather is to blame.

There still seems to be some debate as to the value of the project, overall, and if it’ll help the community in general and the business climate in particular.

I think it will, despite its esoteric nature. Done right and promoted properly, it’ll attract attention to the City of Wayne—which is what it was designed to do in the first place. It’ll show potential investors that there is more going on here than just the basic grind of city government, that officials are looking to differentiate the city from its neighbors, establish an identity and spur economic development.

In a way it goes hand-in-hand with another ‘feel good’ project under way—the hopeful restoration of the Historic Wayne Theater just down the street.

This may be an even bigger challenge because of the sheer scope of the funds needed and the relatively soft economy that has most people watching every penny and cringing from the continual bad news spouted by daily news sources—newspapers and television channels.

Think, though, about what could happen if both projects are successful. We could have a little cultural Mecca right here in our downtown, with both projects leading into the concepts developed by the design team from Andrews University.

Don Nicholson’s vision for the Historic Wayne Theater is not just a restored theater, but also new businesses to help support it and a regional arts program to flush it out—things that will bring people to town. Stop by on a Saturday night during the Beat the Bulldozer concert series—as long as the weather allows them to go on—and talk to him about it; he’s often more eloquent about the plans than I am.

The mural plan hasn’t been universally embraced, either. Some thought it was a waste of money. Others questioned the expense at a time when the city is cutting back on everything. Stories and columns about it have drawn comments on our website that scoff at the concept that it’ll help.

Time will tell. In the meantime, though, it might be helpful to think about the difference between a skeptic and a cynic. A skeptic is a doubter, someone who continually asks questions. A cynic is far more pessimistic and sarcastic, not believing the answers and often just expecting the worst to happen.

It’s OK to be skeptical about projects like this. I have my doubts, too, not about the value of the projects themselves but about the way the city will respond to them.

Being cynical about them won’t solve anything, though. Too much of that will sap the energy that we desperately need here in Wayne. Besides, what good is a cynic with no better plan?

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