In June, we focused on exploring all things arts and culture in Wayne County. I had a lot of fun researching the many ways Wayne County incorporates arts and culture into its communities. As someone who’s not originally from the area, I’ve learned a great deal about its rich musical history, the places you can go to explore arts and culture, the importance of community support for the arts, and I learned about a new project underway in Cambridge City.
I had the pleasure of speaking with Jim McLane, president of the Cambridge City Town Council, about a new project currently under construction next to Creitz Park. A good portion of it is being funded by Wayne County Foundation’s GIFT VIII project by Lilly Endowment Inc. The town is developing an outdoor performance venue behind the fire station, designed to create a place to provide more opportunities for community members to gather and connect. I asked him the following questions about this exciting new addition to Cambridge City:
What inspired the idea for this new project?
The town had an original master plan that they put together right before Covid hit, and in it was a plan for a gathering place of sorts right behind the fire department. Things got delayed, but then with the aid of the HELP Program, ARPA funds, and grant money we were able to start narrowing down which projects to start out with first. We decided that we’d start with the performance venue, and then after that we can start adding new projects to the space in the future.
What impact do you believe it will have on the community?
This project is going to help build that sense of “community”. It’s going to provide a place for people to gather, communicate, and that has been something that has kind of been lost and now is coming back. It will be a chance for people to come together.
What kind of events do you hope will take place here?
The main street group (Cambridge City Main Street) here in town has been hosting concerts for a couple years, so it will start with that. We’re hoping to get the project done in time to have a concert in conjunction with Canal Days in September. After that, we’re hoping to bring the concert series back as well as some other events. There are a lot of opportunities for this space, so it’s open for about anything at this point.
Why do you believe arts and culture are important to a small town like Cambridge City?
In certain ways, small towns over the years have lost their identity. People don’t always communicate like they did many years ago, and there’s understandable reasons for that. The arts bring people together; they give people a common thing to gather around and be proud of. That’s why this project will have a beneficial impact on the town of Cambridge City.
What part of this project are you most excited about?
I’m just excited to watch this project come to fruition. Being able to come up with that much money for a small town like Cambridge City is almost impossible. For that reason, we are very thankful that we were able to get the help we’ve received.
After growing up in the area, moving away for a couple of years, and then returning, it was kind of a dream of mine to find some place to have these concert series. That way we can have a place for people to gather as well as have something that people can look forward to going to every month.
A New Stage for Community Connection
I really enjoyed learning all about this new project. It made me very excited for what’s ahead in Cambridge City with the addition of the outdoor performance venue. Last month, we explored the importance of social connections. This new space will not only provide a space for the arts, but it will also give people the chance to connect with others in the community. Be sure to keep an eye out for the official opening day when it gets announced!
