Opera House Committee visits center in Lincolnton

The Opera House Committee, one of the first committees to be formed as a result of the recent Downtown Task Force recommendations, has already begun work.

The committee spent Monday, May 6, in Lincolnton to tour the Lincoln Cultural Development Center which is scheduled for completion in mid-summer. The old First Baptist Church building on Main Street in downtown Lincolnton had been vacant for several years and had been given to the citizens of Lincoln County by the county commissioners, who had acquired the building.

A board of directors representing various facets of history and the arts has successfully raised over $2,000,000 to renovate the facility. When completed it will house offices for the various arts and historical organizations, a performance hall, meeting rooms for the community, classroom and instructional space, two kitchens, dressing rooms, an art gallery, a sculpture gallery and resource library.

Attending from Stanly County were Mary Coyle, chairperson of the Opera House Committee; Sylvia Glenn, Marie Jones, Florence Newman, Mitchel Smith, Susan Crisco and Vicki Coggins.

Hosting the tour were Mrs. Fran Barnette, president of the Lincoln Cultural Development Center, and Jack Bacot, executive director of the facility. They commended the residents of Lincolnton, which has a population of 6,000, and Lincoln County, which has a population of 50,000, for the overwhelming financial support and enthusiasm they have demonstrated for the project.

The local Opera House Committee is currently conducting a feasibility survey in the community to determine potential use for this facility and to see if there is enough local support to justify further pursuit of the project.

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