Investing in Juneau is the only way to achieve stability and encourage people and families to live and thrive here. People must be convinced that Juneau is a safe place to raise their families and there must be places that encourage a family’s delight in spending time together.
Many years ago, the City of Juneau offered the old armory to the Juneau Arts and Humanities Council to be used as an Arts and Cultural Center. And since that time, it has become a well-used community center, used by families, children activities, weddings, funerals, meetings, classes, musical presentations, plays, and all kinds of public events, including just recently hosting the change of leadership in the U.S. Coast Guard.
Now after 60 years of a variety of use, the building is failing and needs to be replaced. Over $5 million have already been privately raised and over 110 citizens have donated $10,000 a family to replace this building, several large foundations are ready to contribute but — and this is big but — they want to see if the city also contributes. We as citizens of Juneau have the opportunity to make this happen. Don’t be pennywise and pound foolish, like my mom used to say. We have the opportunity now to have something that we can all be proud of and to enjoy with our families and we are getting a $26 million building for $4.5 million with no increase in our taxes.
Virginia Palmer,
Juneau
• My Turns and Letters to the Editor represent the view of the author, not the view of the Juneau Empire.