Old Cary
Elementary Renovation Project
Public
Meeting
July 17,
2007
1. What is
the one thing you are expecting from the renovation of the Old Cary Elementary?
In other words, what one thing are you most looking forward to doing at Old Cary
Elementary when it becomes the Cary Community Arts Center?
Response 1: I look forward to attending performances, but the #1 thing I expect is that this building will have a stately, handsome, clean, and glorious presence at the head of the Academy. I loved the cupala – bring the great columns back, remove anything that obstructs it from full view straight on.
Response 2: Possibly helping our “Arts Cinnybut” by presenting some sculpture lectures –
a) about sculptures as art and history
b) how to create sculptures
Response 3: I would like it to contain an art gallery – an exhibition space. I would like a performing arts center. I would like it to be a destination – an attraction that brings visitors to Cary.
Response 4: More instructional area, with a widely varied selection.
Response 5: Performing space.
Response 6: Seeing live performances such as theater plays that engage the community to participate in the arts.
Response 7: A better space for ceramics; to have a cool space for dancing and
plays.
Response 8: Making use of the auditorium and
classrooms for community activities (cultural).
Response 9:
This facility should be available for non-profit cultural organization at
a reasonable (lower) rate. Tamil
Sangam of Carolina, Vice President.
Response 10:
Attending classes, performances, and community events (like
dances).
Response
11: We are local Tamil Sangam of Caroline ethnic community – about 400+ families
living around Cary. We had our
cultural program at the Raleigh Memorial auditorium on July 7, 2007. We do our own local program tour and are
looking for a place to perform in.
Response
12: Seeing it become a central attraction to bring more density to
downtown. Great theater traveling
in from all over.
Response 13: That it is still here –
preserved.
Response 14:
Large performing theater.
Response 15:
June 2009 Opening!!
Response 16: A
flexible and well-equipped performance facility with top-notch acoustics and
seating.
Response 17: I
am expecting a public educational center for art & performing arts
space.
Response 18: 350
seat theater. Get performances out
of HYCC.
Response 19:
Seeing theater productions in a facility built as such. Modern restrooms built for
adults!
Response
20: A space to take calligraphy
classes and a space to put a calligraphy library; classroom space/library
space.
Response
21: Come together as a cultural
arts community in a facility that serves the purpose as well as preserves our
history and heritage.
Response 22:
Connect the past to the future with performing arts.
Response 23: To
really increase the interest in art in Cary – a “place” for the SCS, FALC,
etc.
Response 24: I
am looking for the sense of community and the reason of being a part of a
community.
Response 25:
Performing arts receptions and openings for artists.
Response 26:
Concerts and performances in the new auditorium.
Response 27:
Theater performances – adult/youth concerts.
(cont.)
2. What is
one thing that you could do without?
Response 1: Take away the handrails on the front steps.
Response 2: Excessive “too general” meetings – rather prefer very tight, specific, action-oriented meetings.
Response 3: ??
Response 4: “Professional” studio space
Response 5: Some classrooms.
Response 6: Music in the background.
Response 7: Nothing that I can think
of.
Response
8:??
Response 9: None
Response
10: If something has to be deleted,
I think the pottery/ceramics could stay at Jordan Hall. Those activities don’t really fit with
the “performing arts” emphasis of the center anyway.
Response 11: We are always looking around Cary to perform. In
fact, we had our programs once at Page Walker.
Response 12: Not
sure about 2nd performing arts building – what is timing for
that?
Response 13:
??
Response 14: Art
classrooms.
Response 15:
Delays.
Response 16:
Digital media.
Response 17:
Woodworking shops.
Response 18:
Roundabouts – make traffic problems, not solve them; they are bad traffic
engineering.
Response 19: A
round about at the Walnut, Dry, Academy intersection.
Response 20:
Concessions.
Response 21: Any
“efforts” that would stand in the way of #1.
Response
22: No multimedia and computer
stuff. Kids and people get enough
of computers and media at home and school.
Response 23:
Prevent artists’ studios.
Response 24:
Private artists’ studios like Artspace.
Response 25:
None.
Response 26: Don
‘t mean to sound greedy, but why can’t we have it all?
Response
27: Woodworking shop – Space could
be better utilized. Not big into
pottery things/kilns/etc. This
space could be better utilized also.
3. Public art
will be integrated into the fabric of the new facility. To help inform the artists working on
this project, please share some memories, feelings, stories you have about this
wonderful Cary landmark that the artists can use in developing their artistic
ideas.
Response
1: This facility has drawn,
encompassed, educated, and nurtured people –I do have many stories and
hope to share them in the future.
Response 2:
Sorry, but I don’t have any specific stories about the school and its
history.
Response
3: A train whistle sounds like
“Cary” to me. I’d like to
incorporate images and the history of trains.
Response
4: I am very new to Cary, so mine
is not an historical perspective, but it was the Cary landmark for
me. It was how I knew that I was in
Cary before I was a permanent resident of downtown.
Response 5: The
façade is very important since it is a downtown focal point.
Response 6: The use of space and geometric shapes in sculptures.
Response 7: I love how the street wraps around
it. You have to slow down and pay
attention to it.
Response 8: ??
(cont.)
Response 9: None.
Response
10: Something highlighting the educational “first(s)” that the site
represents. Also as a symbol of
“Old Cary”.
Response
11: We belong to a culture that is 3000 years old. We may be able to provide some arts from
our culture.
Response
12: I really enjoy the bronze figurative statues located on town hall campus –
they evoke an old timey, historical feeling to the area.
Response 13: The history of the site. Pictures of the original site – from
earliest days.
Response 14:
None.
Response 15:
None.
Response
16: I never went to school here and
neither have my children. What
impresses me about this stately building is riding my bicycle from the railroad
tracks toward the school. It is an
impressive site as I pedal down Academy.
Response
17: Public art standards should be
agreed upon and authorized by council prior to opening. All “art” is not acceptable to the
public.
Response 18: The
more art the better, but do we have the space and money?
Response 19:
Outdoor art at the visual art center grounds (like the Guthrie in
Minneapolis) would be nice.
Response 20:
None.
Response 21:
None.
Response
22: Looks all the way to the Town
Hall, across Academy Street, the building really stands out. It should include artwork of how Cary
evolved from a small farm town to a high tech residential town.
Response 23:
None.
Response
24: New to community. I would like to sense the southern
graciousness and quiet peace of a small town with the feel of an art
community.
Response 25:
None.
Response
26: I’m too new to have grown up
here. I would suggest more
traditional mediums around the school and more modern working outward into the
future open space. For outdoor
sculpture around the school, larger pieces kids could play
on/around.
Response
27: Wife went to school here. Need to preserve it as the first public
school in NC, preserve its history and incorporate that into new ideas. Foundations were established here for
“baby boomers” and hopefully can be incorporated in the school today for future
generations to use/enjoy/forfeit from as well.