Post by Ricky_Berkey on Jul 19, 2014 4:49:07 GMT -5
David and Rovenne both should have been on the "Crump Steering Committee" but they were barely consulted as a very expensive study took place which then gave the city a chance to once again close the building as the consultants decided it was unsafe for human beings to be inside. I remember being fascinated by the Crump on my very first visit to Columbus in 2000. It was then closed completely with remnants of signs for a previous "Save the Crump" campaign. It soon got a partial restoration of the marquee and front facade as Rovenne Quigley volunteered her time to get it cleaned up, repaired and once again functioning. It even was able to show a movie or two but eventually became a venue for concerts and became a favorite place for ghost hunters to explore as they were convinced it was haunted. Now the city has decided that only a minimum 11 million dollar restoration must take place or they will call in the bulldozers. Critics say it is just "nostalgia" for the past and not an important part of Columbus history. I say they are wrong and I wonder how many people that were part of the study and the steering committee really know anything about the history of the theatre. I hope some of them will actually read David's award winning book or read all the information on the Historic Columbus website and this message board. I'm an outsider to this community and have no nostalgic memories from my childhood. I think it is one of the vital links to the past that must be saved to show the world that we care about our history and how the town developed.