Downtown Tucsonan - February 2009 - (Page 5) D ow n tow n Low d ow n FAMILY FRIENDLY FUN AND FRIVOLITY A brand new Family Friendly Weekend program is officially underway downtown with a myriad of happenings slated for the next 52 weekends. Central to the program of art exhibits, film screenings, tours, concerts, and special events, is a website [www.familyfriendlyweekends. org] containing a master calendar as well as details on parking (metered parking is free on the weekend) and at least a dozen restaurant locations open during the day on Saturday and Sunday. Venues for the variety of activities range from Tucson Children’s Museum and the Fox Tucson Theatre to the Pima County Library and more. Mastermind of the event is Ward 2 City Councilmember Rodney Glassman: “We are thrilled to have raised more than $55,000 in cash from private sources and over $100,000 in in-kind media sponsorships to guarantee we could hold great family activities all year. Our goal was to ensure that when a family wakes up on a weekend morning, they will know that year-round downtown is a viable option for food and fun and it appears we have accomplished that goal.” In response to the program, two art museums will add family-friendly programming on a more regular basis. Tucson Museum of Art is already offering tours every second Saturday and, beginning in April, the Museum of Contemporary Art will schedule weekend family type events. Selected stories will be printed on large-format posters to be hung in downtown windows. “The project gives us all a chance to share in previously untold stories of love, loss, hope, and mystery that make up downtown’s past and present,” says guest artist Josh Schachter, who founded the VOICES photographs program. For his actions, Trebizo received a Letter of Commendation from the police department and a plaque from DTP calling him a downtown hero. ARCHITECTS ANNOUNCED The Downtown Tucson Façade Improvement Program has moved another step forward after the January announcement of four buildings were funded for upgrades. Architect Robert Bailey will work with Ron Schwabe, owner of a site at 64 E. Broadway. Ibarra Rosano Design Architects gets creative for The Screening Room, 127 E. Congress. Rob Paulus will work with the Kim family (WigO-Rama) and Rialto Block owner Don Martin. “Architects will work with advisors from the State Historic Preservation Office and the City/County Historic Board,” says DTP planner Teresa Bommarito, adding: “I’m currently looking for additional funding so we can do more projects this year.” ARTIST ENABLERS Outside-the-box thinking is called for in a challenged economy and ArtFare, Tucson’s Community Cultural Arts Center, has done so in cooperation with two businesses who will donate proceeds to support the arts. ArtFare collaborates with Café 54 and Arbor Education and Training as part of the MECA program (Music Entertainment and Culinary Arts development) to offer up unique entrepreneurial opportunities to develop business models for artists. Currently Burger City offers gourmet burgers and a large screen TV that views food performance art in the kitchen at 47 North 6th Avenue. And next door, Kelly’s Market (open daily 9am-9pm) offers deli food and life’s necessities from bread to puppy chow. Kelly’s also hosts free-form music and open-mic nights. NEW HOME Artist John Davis, originally commissioned in 2002 to create artwork for installation at the Historic Train Depot, has now found a new home for his public art creation, “For Speed These Lines,” a two-element steel fabrication. The 3,000 pound piece (designed in collaboration with wife Siobhan Roome) is reminiscent of railroad track, train wheels, and a rail journey and now resides in Iron Horse Park at 10th Street and Third Avenue. When installation was finished at year-end 2008, Davis expressed artistic satisfaction: “It felt great to get it grounded, especially after all the travails of the last six years. I’m happy with the design modifications and the new location.” BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY DOWNTOWN LOVE If you found (or lost) love somewhere downtown, “I (heart) Downtown Tucson” would like to hear that story. Young people from VOICES, Inc., are interviewing and photographing those with a tale to tell on Valentine’s Day at 48 East Pennington Street from 11am-2pm. Preregistration is required at Rachel@voicesinc.org. “We’re helping create a collective story about this city,” says Kimi Eisele, project guest artist. “The Living Stories Project is a great opportunity to share downtown stories with young people, to listen and learn about the historical significance of downtown and to reflect on current revitalization efforts,” adds VOICES Associate Director Rachel Villarreal. Although their official mission is to act as downtown ambassadors and ‘observe and report’ illicit activities, “we’re more than just eyes and ears for law enforcement,” says Patrick Hannigan, Operations Manager and director of the security personnel who patrol downtown streets on behalf of the Downtown Tucson Partnership. That was proven recently when security ambassador Jose Trebizo helped Tucson Police Department in the apprehension of two men charged with violently attacking an elderly victim. While the officer was apprehending one suspect, Trebizo and another unidentified man chased and subdued the second suspect, detaining him for law enforcement. “It’s an example of above-and-beyond-thecall-of-duty, but that’s the kind of guy he is and that’s the kind of work we do,” says Hannigan. “While we’ve had other instances where our ambassadors have come to the aid of victims or law enforcement, Trebizo put his own safety aside and assisted the police by going after the suspect.” ANOTHER NEW HOME Highly-acclaimed architect Rob Paulus has gone funky with his own new office and studio across the street from his equally-highly-acclaimed Ice House Lofts. An old auto repair shop at 990 E. 17th Street has been transformed into a LEED-certified place of business shared with Epstein Construction. Some of the Paulus creativity is shown in a dynamic wood ceiling that begs to be seen to be appreciated. february.09. downtown tucsonan 5 http://www.familyfriendlyweekends.org http://www.familyfriendlyweekends.org
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