Friends Of Parma Theater Continue Their Effort

As the demolition of the Historic Parma Theater looms large, the Friends of Parma Theater held a demonstration and candlelight vigil on October 24th to bring attention to their cause to save the theater for future generations. Beyond the theater, their ongoing mission is to cultivate a creative arts district dedicated to cinema, theater, music, and the performing arts that will become an economic development catalyst for the surrounding community. Pictured here (left to right) are: Sharon Schneider, Tom Kall, Debbie LeWalk, Paulette Kall, Patricia Haller, William Subjoc, Kathryn Mabin, and Annette Mannion. | Photo © 2014 Stefan P. Stefaniuk

View Image Gallery

Shortly after the Parma Theater closed the doors in 2012, at a meeting in Ward 2 we formed our group, Friends of Parma Theater. Our immediate goal was to meet the challenge of saving the building that housed this Parma institution, but we soon came to the conclusion that this sad event actually presented a significant opportunity. What we realized is that while Parma is a wonderful city that we all love and cherish, there are a few things that if Parma only had, would represent an outstanding improvement. One of these is an Arts District, and we unanimously came to the conclusion that the Parma Theater, if it were to be re-purposed as a multi-use facility serving diverse community needs, would indeed function as an ideal hub in a wheel of an artistic development initiative in Polish Village, one of the most walkable neighborhoods in Parma. 

Our reason for feeling that the addition of an Arts District in Parma is a good idea was based on what we have seen as we looked around the Greater Cleveland Area at other communities and neighborhoods that have embraced Arts and Entertainment and are experiencing the cultural and economic benefits that occurred as a result. Another fact which we have discovered is that there are a great many artists living in Parma, but since the city is so very large at more than 20 square miles, the opportunity for them to gather in a centralized area where artists and the purveyors of art can congregate and share their ideas and work simply does not exist. 

Since the formation of the Friends of Parma Theater, we have been contacted by a vast number of individuals who, at one time or another, have lived in this community and called Parma home, but no longer dwell here, or for that matter, anywhere near the state of Ohio. Some even live in other countries. We call these Parma residents who have moved on but still love Parma the “Global Parma Community.” There is a saying that absence makes the heart grow fonder and this seems to be the case with these folks; almost always they express their fondest memories of living and often growing up here. They consistently urge us to continue our effort to preserve Parma's heritage in a way that honors the past and carries us into the future at the same time. They all agree that the idea of preserving and re-purposing the Parma Theater makes perfect sense and many say that they only wish they were here now to help us personally achieve that goal. 

Many current Parma residents feel that while having an Arts District would be a good thing for Parma, using tax dollars to support it is not necessarily worth it. To these good people I often point out that we already do just that. In 2006, Cuyahoga County voters decided to levy a 30 cent per pack tax on cigarettes to be used for arts funding. Cuyahoga Arts & Culture, the county agency responsible for collecting and distributing the money from this tax, estimates that between 15-20 million dollars per year is generated. We don't have accurate figures on just how much money is contributed from Parma alone which makes up the 15-20 million, but I'm sure that it is no small amount. We are fairly certain about the amount of money from this fund which flows back to Parma through the arts oriented institutions in our city; as far as we know, that number is zero. Because Parma presently is by and large devoid of entities that can or do apply for grants and funding from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture, we seem to be engaging in a sort of voluntary taxation without representation here. We intend to change that situation in a big way and we remain convinced that a restored, re-purposed Parma Theater in one of the most walkable neighborhoods of Parma will be a major step in that direction. 

A vibrant Arts District with all of the ancillary benefits associated with it will serve as an ideal magnet that attracts artists and patrons of the arts, as well as people from all over our region seeking a wide range of entertainment which the theater will host on a regular basis. We also feel that as this project grows in stature, it will spur additional investment in our city, which in turn will add much needed revenue to our treasury, and convince prospective home buyers that Parma is indeed an ideal place to buy a home and enjoy life while perhaps raising a family. Parma is the seventh largest city in Ohio, yet seems to have no private art galleries to speak of. Some may suggest that this reflects a general lack of interest in the arts; we feel, however, that rather than rejecting art, Parma is actually starving for it. If you feel the same way, then by all means, please don't hesitate to join us and add your voices and efforts to help make this a reality, one exciting step at a time.