Save Munroe Center

Help Save the Munroe Center for the Arts!
Letters From Lexington Munroe Center Supporters
1	Dear LexingtonSelectman, I am writing on behalf of Save Munroe. After consideringa move within the greater Boston area 5 yearsago, my family chose Lexington.We have 3 children and one of the main attractions of Lexington was its resources for youngchildren and teenagers. My youngest son attended camp at the Munroe Schooland my daughter, now a freshman in high school, dances at the Lexington Schoolof Ballet. It is wonderful to have a building close to the town center,which houses a place for the “Arts”. As resources dwindle atthe school level for music, art and dance, I believe it becomes more importantto make these activities easily accessible at the town level. Thearts are a vital part of our community and I believe that the Munroe Centerwill continue to attract families to Lexingtonand to enhance property values for all Lexingtonresidents. I urge the selectman not to uproot the alreadyestablished Munroe Center for the Arts but to consider alternative sites for a newsenior center, which is of course also important and crucial to our community. Thank you. Nancy Stuart
2	I really like drama... I went to the Munroe Camp and I really liked it because I made lots of new friends there and I went with my best friend. I really like drama and the teacher, Molly. I liked making costumes for the plays we performed for our parents. The drama part was so great I took another class there in the fall. I also go to the Dance Inn for Hip-Hop class. I had a blast at Munroe and can't wait to go back this summer! Munroe Fan, Age: 10
3	The Munroe Center has provided a unique source for activities for my family. On a practical level, we have benefited from the Artspan summer and school vacation programs. These have been wonderful opportunities for families to find fun and meaningful activities for children when school is not in session. Especially for kids who are more interested in creative pursuits, rather than athletics, the Artspan programs have been ideal. The Munroe Center programs typically run longer in the summer than most summer camps. This is a real help for families where both parents work and need to find quality activities for their kids for the whole summer. My daughter and I also enjoyed a parent/child yoga class at the Munroe Center. This program was offered at a date and time that enabled a working mom and her young daughter to experience something new together. This is something that we never would have done had it not been offered at Munroe. It helped my daughter gain confidence at a crucial time for her. Our family is whole-hearted supporters of the Munroe Center. Lucy Wal, 2 Cherry Street
4	I'm Meredith Beamon and I'm a sophomore at Lexington High School. I've recently heard that you are planning to turn the Munroe Center for the Arts into a senior center. Since I've attended numerous activities there for the last seven years, this upsets me. Specifically, the Lexington School of Ballet has been my home away from home for many years. It has opened me up to many possibilities in my social and academic life. It has taught me to persevere and I've grown dedicated to dance. I believe that what the Munroe Center offers is important to our community. It keeps kids who may not enjoy competitive sports active and involved. If the Munroe Center was taken away, many people - children, teenages and adults - would love their after-school escape. Meredith Beamon, Lexington
5	When I was younger, I spent about two weeks of my summer at the Artspan Camp at Munroe. Munroe was great for me because I not only enjoyed the sports activities that other camps offered, but I loved the art activities that only Munroe had. This previous summer, I went back to Munroe as a volunteer. I originally had only intended to stay for about a week (to fulfill required high school community service credits), but after having such a great time, I postponed the date until the Art Span program ended, with the promise that I would return the next summer. Matt Grabrenya, Lexington
6	I'm a senior at Lexington High My name is Alison Gabrenya and I'm a senior at Lexington High School. I have been involved at the Munroe ArtSpan Summer Camp for many years and feel as though I've grown up there. I attended the camp as a child and went on to be a CIT (counselor in training) I also worked as a volunteer, and for the past three years I've been a camp counsleor. I've come to recognize the impact the Munroe community has on people, but the children who continue to return year-after-year, many of whom express to me, even at age 6, how excited they are to become CIT's when they turn 12. As a kid I was never into competitive sports and I normally dreaded summer camp. Munroe served as a fun place for me, along with other children who appreciated the arts. It was on e of the firest experiences that peaked my interest in the arts, something I've been continuing to pursue and plan to study in college. Although Munroe is an arts center, my time there has introduced me to people who I wouldn't normally get the chance to interact with. All of the staff at the summer camp unite over their passion for the arts, or their love of working with children. Over the years I've gotten close to many people there and feel like I am part of a community. Working at Munroe also taught me leadership skills and responsibility. I've gone onto holding a part-time job and volunteering to organize developmental projects in Latin America with the Amigos de las Americas program. Without the knowledge I gained from myexperiences at Munroe, I can honestly say I wouldn't have felt confident to try these new things. With so many activities, the Munroe Center for the Arts has an incredibly friendly and engaging atmosphere. I cherish the times I've had there, and hope you will consider another site for the senior center. Alison Gabrenya
7	Dear Lexington Selectman, I am saddened and shocked that the town is considering closing the Munroe Center for the Arts. Within this one site, there is stellar instruction in dance, music, drama and the visual arts. How lucky we are! I think the real question is whether the town of Lexington values artistic instruction and expression. To me, closing Munroe would be equivalent to closing Hayden - another incredibly wonderful and important town resource. I think for most residents of Lexington, closing Hayden would be unthinkable. Yet Hayden and Munroe are, in my view, equally vital. Hayden provides wonderful instruction with more of a focus on sports - Munroe provides wonderful instruction in the arts. We must take a stand, especially in this political climate of decreased funding for the arts, and declare that exposure to and instruction in the arts is critically important to our children's development. Not to overstate the point, but think of a world without music, dance, the visual arts. My kids are deeply saddened that Munroe may be at risk. They love the camp in the summer and the classes in the winter. The Munroe Center for the Arts is a vital and essential town institution and Lexington is greatly enriched by its presence. The loss of Munroe Center would create a void in terms of artistic education and our town would be diminished by its absence. Wendy M. Greene, Solomon Pierce Road
8	Save Munroe. It's my second home. I feel that it is unfair to even consider changing the Munroe Center for the Arts into a senior center. I understand that Lexington is trying to find a space where seniors can go to be together and relax, but by making the Munroe Center that space, Lexington is affecting thousands of people. Many kids and teenagers see The Munroe Center as a second home. I have seen Munroe as my second home for 10 years and I am only 12. I attend The Dance Inn three to four times a week, and I attend The Lexington Music School once a week. I also attend the summer camps hosted by the Arts Center. Also, think of the thousands of dollars needed to gut the center and add elevators. Some of that money should be spent on fixing up Munroe for the students who currently attend. Lexington is lucky to have a safe haven like this for kids and teenagers. What is Lexington thinking? Kids and teenagers need this center so we can go some place where we are above the influence. Please don't kick us out. Marissa Akimchuk
9	Save Munroe! I've grown up at Munroe Center for the Arts. I took a ceramics class which stimulated my creative ability which proved to be imperative to my child psyche. Soon after, I began piano lessons with Epp Sonin. This activated and excercized my left cerebellum. Munroe has also give me volunteer opportunities and offered a perfect environment for my first job. Munroe is very dear to me and directly affected my childhood. Helping children learn is more important (to ensure an improved next generation) than a youth center for seniors Meridith Niles
10	Danced at the Dance Inn for 13 Years! In have danced at the Dance Inn at Munroe Center for the Arts for 13 years and I am now a member of the Legacy Dance company. i am also an assistant teacher for your dance students. The Munroe Center has always been a great location for the studio, which has hundreds of students from age 3 to senior citizens. Losing the Munroe Center would be very unfortunate and would force Thelma Goldberg, Dance Inn director, to try and find a new space for her many students. The Dance Inn has always been very important in my life and I would have to see it leave its home. Please consider how much young Lexington Kids interested in the arts will be affected if the Munroe Center is replaced with a Senior Center. Keyy Reynolds
11	I do not support removing the Munroe Center for the Arts and replacing it with the Senior Center. We have a Senior Center. The Munroe Center offers a variety of arts education programs to all ages, including adults and seniors. It offers creative programs to teenagers on weekends, evenings and after school. It is a wonderful resource for children that aren't sports oriented. The Munroe Center offers community service opportunities and job opportunities for high school students, as well as an innovative and diverse arts camp in the summer for younger children. We are never too old or too young to be inspired by art. The Munroe Center offers essential facilities to our community, enrichment, inspiration and creativity. Be motivated. Be inspired. Please contact the selectman/selectwoman and tell them how you feel. Kate Hruby, Parker Street
12	I understand that the Munroe Center for the Arts is being considered for a Senior Center in town. I urge you to not support this, and contact the Munroe Center Web site: www.savemunroe.org to see how you can help. While I believe that our town has a duty to provide services and facilities to all - other options should be considered for a senior center that do not affect the art education of the Lexington community. The programs that the Munroe Center offers are integral to the education of my elementary school children. For over 5 years my children have enjoyed art classes as well as summer camp programs that reflect diversity and include many approaches to art education: (song, dance, sculpture, drawing, costume, etc). The programs offered are of the highest quality with dedicated and professional staff. They teach creativity and use of the imagination - skills that are often overlooked in our world of standardized testing and unlimited access to technology. With school art program budgets frequently on the chopping block, Munroe offers a much-needed alternative art program for all children and adults at minimal cost. Please consider my views and support Munroe in continuing its community tradition. Catherine Bergh, Haskell Street
13	The Munroe Center for the Arts at 1403 Massachusetts Ave. is in danger of being turned into Senior Center's adjunct. The current Senior Center is located in the old Muzzey School building on Massachusetts Avenue. At the last Board of Selectmen meeting, the Senior Center Siting Committee announced that it had chosen the Munroe Center for the Arts as it's primary choice for expansion. There was no mention of the fact that the center has been serving the community for the past 22 years, that each week about 2,000 residents aged 2 through 80 attend programs in dance, music, tae kwon do, language arts, theater and visual arts. Removing the Munroe Center for the Arts would affect a very large part of the population of this town. At a time when the Center is growing rapidly and many residents are taking more and more advantage of the great variety of classes offered at the Munroe Center for the Arts, this news comes as a shock to both the teachers and students. Although the town owns the building, the center has always paid for it's maintenance at no cost to the town. More than $100,000 has been invested by program owners and artists to make their space efficient and inviting. If this building gets taken away, where will all these programs go? It would be a tragedy for Lexington to lose a place like the Munroe Center for the Arts. The Munroe Center is managed by Lexington Friends of the Arts, Inc., a not-for-profit organization and houses over 35 artists and education programs. Unfortunately, our educational system does not focus on the creative ability of young children any more. The Arts are slowly vanishing from many of our children's general experience. Studies show that students who take art, music or dance classes outperform students who don't on Scholastic Assessment tests and it is clear that the Arts are fundamental to the healthy development of our children's minds and personalities. Although the Center is supportive of Lexington's senior citizen population, removing an Arts Center to replace it with a Senior Center is like taking away from the right hand to give to the left. Madeleine Kando Director, The Children's Arts Corner, Lexington Epp Sonin Director, The Lexington Music School Mary Peterson Director, The Lexington School of Ballet
14	I'm writing in regard to the Senior Center Siting committee's statement to the town selectmen that the Munroe Center for the Arts is their only choice for an enlargement of the senior center. I became aware of this situation only two days ago. It was quite a surprise to me. I was not aware of any problems regarding the arts center until then. The center has been in its current location for over 20 years, I believe. The town of Lexington needs a place where artists can practice their craft and people can come and learn about the arts. The Senior Center already has a building. The arts center needs the one its in! Roseann Ridings
15	Whenwe first moved to Lexington five years ago, the presence of a centralschool for the arts was of utmost significance to us. To us, thiscentral facility - visible to all as they enter our town - speaks of acommunity with a commitment to culture, a community that imparts to ourchildren the importance of the arts in a well-rounded, dynamic and freesociety. We have used the Munroe Center for the Arts in so many different waysover the past five years, and not all of them artistic! Ourchildren have played T-ball in its fields, with our smallest using theplayground at every opportunity. We have enjoyed peeking in onmusic and dance classes, and know numerous families who have benefitedfrom those classes. I spent a memorable year there a few yearsback with my 5-year-old making fantastic projects in one of themother-and-child art classes held at Munroe. This class inspiredin my child an appreciation of art and creativity that is still goingstrong and will be with him all his life. There is no otherfacility in Lexington that offers a class such as the one we tooktogether at Munroe - especially as there is no art in kindergarten inLexington because it was cut a few years back in the face of anoverwhelming school budget. I have heard that the intent among some in town is to turn Munroe intoa Senior Center. I have been to the existing Senior Center inLexington on a fairly regular basis as part of volunteer work for adifferent organization, and I have a number of questions about thisproposal. The existing Senior Center parking lot is never closeto full when I go there during the day, and hardly anyone is inside thecenter. For me to believe it is "full" or "overused" would takemuch convincing with some excellent hard data. The existingSenior Center seems perfect for its use - there are no stairs at theentry, there is plenty of parking, the visibility going into and out ofthe parking lot and the building is great. My impression upongoing inside is that Lexington had done a great job taking care of itsdifferent constituencies, and has shown wonderful respect for itsseniors by providing a welcoming site for their social events andclasses. Munroe, on the other hand, is perfect for kids, has its own dancestudio, its own music studio and art rooms that exude a creativespirit. For the sports enthusiasts, there is a terrific fieldoutside which is regularly used for organized recreation. Welldone, Lexington--another constituency perfectly provided for! Butnow imagine the proposal goes through to convert this building for useby seniors: It is a study in stairs. One must walk upstairs to get into the building, out of the building, the parking ispractically non-existent and has very poor sight lines. Thebuilding is quite old and any renovations to add elevators, ramps andother necessities will be quite expensive. I am stymied as to howMunroe would be better used by seniors. Let's think carefully--really carefully--before spending these fundsand making these changes. Will we really be better off as acommunity at the end of the day? Rebecca Hawkins
16	TheMunroe Center is one of the crown jewels of Lexington, and is allthe more valuable because of economic pressure on the public schoolsystem. Prof. Alex (Sandy) Pentland
17	TheMunroe Arts Center is a critical resource in our community.It is aplace where children (and adults) can study music, art, dance, and evenforeign language or tae kwan do. At this time when there is talkof cutting instrumental music in the elementary schools, it is ahorrible time even to contemplate cutting the rug out from under theactive and vibrant community-based music and art programs in the town. Why, also, would anyone contemplate destroying what is predominately aYouth Arts Center in order to create a Senior Center? Why dowe want to pitch the needs of the young against the needs of the old?IsLexington destined to be a place that only one of these population scanthrive? Already whenever there is a town-wide override vote,theissue is framed, in the media at least, as being one of whether thesenior citizens in the town can afford to support the needs of theschools. And now an Arts Center important to our youth thatwould presumably continue to exist even if the next override vote shouldfail is now targeted as the first and only choice of location for anew Senior Center? We are on dangerous ground. Let us not meet the needs ofone constituency in our town at the expense of another. Let uslook more creatively at possibly locations for the Senior Center.Whatabout identifying a good new space for a soccer field and then buildinga Senior Center from the ground up on the soccer field adjacent to theMuzzey Condominiums? Or locating a Senior Center in the oldHarrington School Building after the new Fiske Schoolis completed? Or identifying and helping to fund alternate spacefor the Arts Center before contemplating the reassigning of Monroespace? Diane Souvaine
18	Afterworking most of my life and living in Lexington over 23 years, Iretired to be an artist full time. I felt so lucky to get a studiospace at the Munroe Center several years ago. I use my studio almostdaily and make contributions to Munroe for the privilege of having mystudio there. It is an active, safe environment in which to work. It isan asset to Lexington and could be an even greater asset if Lexingtonmade more of a commitment to it as an art center. I just turned 64 andI don't want to play Ping Pong, discuss congestive Heart Failure, go toFoxwoods Casino.......I want to paint. And I am a senior. PLEASE LEAVETHE MUNROE CENTER AS THE ART COMMUNITY IT IS NOW. Gayle Reynolds
19	Dear Board of Selectmen, I've learned recently of apossible proposal to dislocate the Munroe Center for the Arts from itscurrent building, to make way for a senior center. I am writing toexpress my vehement objection to such an idea. As a Lexington resident withtwo small children, I place a very, very high value on the provision ofcommunity resources devoted to the arts, especially as the publicschools are not always able to prioritize this area of the curriculum.Children of all ages, skills, and interests, and their families,benefit from the programming provided by the Munroe Center, in itspresent location and with the continuity of services offered there. Itreally is unconscionable that the town would deliberately dislocate anddisrupt one of Lexington's premier cultural and educationalinstitutions. This proposal will also havethe very detrimental political and social effect of pitting oneactivist group of Lexington's citizens against another, at a time whenwe should be working together. I urge you to rethink thisproposal, which will undermine the work of the Munroe Center, disruptthe lives and aspirations of Lexington's children, and divide ratherthan unite our community. Sincerely, Daniel Abramson
20	Myname is Danielle Livneh and I am a 11 year old child that attends theMunroe Center weekly. I am currently taking jazz, ballet, and Pointeclasses for a total of 7 hours a week. Since I was 2/3 the Monroecenter has been my home away from home. I have learned from mygreat dance teachers, creativity, technique, imagination, andmostly passion for my love, dancing. Without the Monroe center, I wouldnot have met many of my best friends, the ones I see probably too much.I love dancing and the Monroe center has been letting me do so. Withoutthe Center my dancing would probably no longer continue, less friendswould be made, and over a great love would be lost.
21	Ithink that the Munroe center is a crucial element of Lexington'sculture, and it would be a very sad day indeed if it were closed. Why can't the Senior Center be sited at the Walgreen's site, as theowner had offered? There would be no opposition, and nodisplacement of valuable town resources. Moreover, from theWalgreen's site, seniors could easily walk to the center and get a cupof coffee much more conveniently than the Munroe center site wouldallow. Joseph Lehar
22	Ilived in Lexington for 17 years and during that time my organizationused the Munroe Center for the Arts for various events. To me it seemsa shame that organizations and the artists housed there will have toseek elsewhere to do what they have been doing there for so manyyears. Senior Citizens are important - but so are the arts andthey have suffered enough so please give some thought before anotherinstitution in Lexington is torn down. Harriet Friedman Former Lexington Resident
23	Dear Town Selectmen, We are currently seniors atLexington High School and we have been enthusiastically involved withthe Munroe Center for the Arts for several years. We attended theSelectmen’s meeting on February 6th, and while we understand theimportance of improving the senior center for our community, we feel itshould not be at the expense of such a valuable art center. The MunroeCenter is an amazing asset to our community. The programs offeredinclude the Lexington School of Ballet, the Dance Inn, Musical Mondays,the Children’s Arts Corner, Chung Do Kwan martial artsinstruction, the Lexington Players, and the Art Span Summer Day Campand Vacation Camp. In addition, it is also home to numerous studioartists and provides a variety of arts classes for every agegroup. The center serves thousands of Lexington residents as wellas members of surrounding communities and the entire building is usedproductively year round. As mentioned in theSelectmen’s meeting, the Munroe building would solely serve as asecond site for the Senior Center. To divide the center in such amanner would require extra staffing, increasing their expenses. Although the Munroe Center is in need of repairs no matter its use,bringing it up to the standards of a Senior Center would be difficultand costly. It currently has no elevators and as Dawn McKennamentioned, there is no feasible way to manage the traffic flow for theamount of people that would be using the senior center. The Munroe Center for theArts provides affordable programs for people of all ages in theLexington Community. By turning it into a senior center,Lexington would lose the only place solely dedicated to the arts. We have enclosed personal stories from employees, children, and parentswho have enjoyed the center over the years. We would appreciateit if you took the time to read them. Sincerely, Melanie Close Alison Gabrenya
24	Dear Selectmen, I would be extremelydisappointed if the Munroe Center for the Arts ends up not being partof our community. I send my kids to Monroe summer camps. Theylearn and enjoy it so much! My son Ian Polakiewicz, won a CollageConquest in Argentina last year. Ian won the first price within 800children. I know that the Munroe Center for the Arts contributed to hisability to think about the project and gave him the tools to develop itby himself. I take every visitor thatcomes from Argentina to visit the Center. I'm very proud of it and soare my children. The visitors are amazed of what they see, such awonderful affordable place, dedicated to the arts!!! Please help the Munroe Center of the Arts to continue being part of us!!! Sandra Mayo
25	To whom it may concern: Hi, my name is Josh McBrideand I am writing to you to talk to you about the importance of theMunroe Center for the Arts. I felt a duty to support Munroe for a fewreasons. For one, I act as a Vice President for Lexington YouthCommission and felt that it is important to support my fellow townprograms. Being on LYC, it has taught me to work with other programsthroughout the town. Last year, we worked on "Lexington Unplugged," inwhich the town "unplugged their tv sets, computers,etc, and pluggedinto their family and friends." Munroe Center was a big part of this.The kids from LYC went to the library and had a fun arts and craftsafternoon with elementary school kids. Some might not know this butMunroe Center for the Arts actually gave us supplies in order for us torun a successful activity. The activity ran great and the kids had agreat time. Losing a long-time supporter of the towns activitys wouldbe a loss to the Lexington Community. Secondly, for the past twosummers, I have worked as a counselor at Artspan, Munroe Center for theArts Camp. I know Jeff Lipsky personally and know that he puts all hiseffort into making Munroe the best possible place for children to go tofor day camp. The kids really enjoy dancing, drama, arts and crafts,ceramics, music, etc. By not having this, kids have nowhere inLexington to go for community based-art activities. Overall,losing Munroe would be a detriment to the town in their options forgood summer programs for kids. I would be happy to talk onbehalf of Munroe and if you need to contact me, my home phone is781-862-8105. I would love to see Munroe stay here in Lexington. Thank you for your time. Sincerely, Josh McBride
26	Munroe Center is the only open access arts space in Lexington and must be preserved as such. Geoff Davies
27	Mr. Carl Valente Town Manager Town of Lexington 1625 Massachusetts Avenue Lexington, Massachusetts 02420 Dear Mr. Valente: I am writing to express mysupport for the continued use of 1403 Massachusetts Avenue by theMunroe Center for the Arts. The Munroe Center has become aspecial place to our family, particularly to our son, who has attendedexcellent Vacation and Summer Arts programs. We have been soimpressed with their vision, creativity, and professionalism that wehave journeyed to the Munroe Center from the Town of Sudbury for thepast four years. They have been effective ambassadors for theTown of Lexington. Not only do the staff andBoard of Directors continue to improve their programming and communityservices, but also they have become committed stewards to an historicand prominent landmark building. Recently, they have createdeffective partnerships with other Town programs, particularly the LABBB(Lexington, Arlington, Belmont, Bedford and Burlington) CollaborativeProgram. It is our sincere wish thatthe Munroe Center for the Arts continue to serve creative children andadults from Lexington and beyond in their current location and that alloptions to achieve this are fully evaluated. For example, I notedthat the Senior Center Siting Committee Report dated April 2, 2001contained one option where the Senior Center and Arts Center couldcoexist in a reconfigured and expanded building. Thank you for your consideration of these comments. Sincerely, Karen I. Pelto Sudbury, Massachusetts
28	Wejust heard that the Selectmen have chosen Munroe Center for the Arts asthe site for the Senior Center expansion. Our daughter hasenjoyed dancing at the center for the last two years and we disagreewith your choice. Please find another location for the SeniorCenter. The Munroe Center for the Arts is a extremely important centerfor the community, especially at a time when lack of government fundingis causing schools to eliminate art programs across the country. The Arts Center should stayand the Senior Center should find another location. Besides, inmy opinion, the current building would need major renovations to beappropriate for a Senior Center. It would be much better for theSeniors and easier for the town to find a location for a new buildingor a site with a newer building. The Arts Center has made it home for12 years and deserves a longer stay. Thank you for your consideration, Heather Meeker Green Medford, MA