ECPAC deserves more respect

Union Tribune (2010-03-11) Babara Slater

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More Info: El Cajon City Council, Save ECPAC

Your editorial, “El Cajon’s Money Pit” (March 8) states that ECPAC “has been a money-losing proposition since ... 1977,” that “no organization wants to manage the facility” and that “the building itself has substantial design flaws.” The question not asked is why the theater has never had professional management. The only theater managers that the city has ever considered are inexperienced organizations with their own agendas. First, Grossmont College was only interested in its own productions, thus it was never marketed. The city took over and tried to run it as part of the Parks and Recreation Department, which, again, had other priorities. On two occasions management was turned over to the Christian Youth Theater (CYT), whose own productions took precedence.

Next the editorial states that “El Cajon’s center has not had ... professional performances since 2005.” The nonprofit Grossmont Community Concert Association has put on six professional performances annually to sold out audiences for many years.

The assertion that the facility has “substantial design flaws” is itself flawed. Numerous performers have noted that the acoustics are near perfect. While it is true that the facility is in need of repairs, this state of disrepair has been brought on by years of neglect from those who were supposed to be its caretakers.

Finally, the comment that ECPAC is just “a dilapidated facility, a mausoleum for El Cajon’s shrinking treasury” is insulting and very shortsighted.

B.S. SLATER
El Cajon