After nine long years of painstaking restoration, the Bay Theatre reopened this week.
This is great news, and this reopening is not only a link to the city’s rich heritage. It could be the centerpiece of its economic and civic future.
Paul Dunlap, his wife Nicole, and his associate Ben Ahle have led a team of investors, craftsmen, Imagineers, electricians, carpenters, engineers, and other specialties to make it happen.
I remember walking down Main Street several years ago and seeing the door open, I meandered in to see how the restoration was coming along. I was shocked because there was no floor. Every bit of wood and concrete had been removed, I thought, as I walked through the dirt.
Only wheelbarrows were scattered about as I wondered to myself ‘how in the world would this mess of dirt ever be reshaped into something presentable to the public.’
Fast forward to Saturday’s grand opening of the theatre, and the results were simply stunning. Not only has the floor been insulated and reinstalled, but the beautiful red seats are in place, the acoustic material has been blown into the ceiling and new electronic audio equipment is Disneyesque quality and ready for its first film.
Quite fitting that The Bay Theatre selected “The Harbour Chronicles,” for its grand opening on January 25. The film made by Chris Sardelis chronicling the life of Rich Harbour, and Harbour Surfboards, traces the development of Seal Beach as a hub of surfing as the sport rose to glory years ago.
Demand for tickets is so great that multiple shows have been sold out and they are still adding shows into February.
Not only is this a tribute to Mr. Harbour, but it could be a proverbial canary in the coal mine for what could be in the future of Seal Beach.
The U. S. and other countries around the world are facing an “epidemic of loneliness,” according to a detailed report issued by the U.S. Surgeon General. The government of Korea has invested hundreds of millions to combat the crisis.
In Japan, senior citizens are committing crimes simply to be sentenced to prison rather than live, and die, alone.
Back to Seal Beach, Dunlap said that his mission to restore the Bay Theatre could be a “missing piece” in making this an idyllic community.
While restoring its original splendor, Dunlap has purposely equipped the facility to handle much more than movies.
His vision is that the Bay can now handle everything from Ted talks to dance events, community plays, and public forums. In short, a place for citizens to reconnect.
While technology has created a myriad of virtual connectivity, according to mental health and government experts, the devices have left most devoid of what is essential for existence, human connection.
Robert Putnam warned us of this trend in his classic book, “Bowling Alone.”
While Seal Beach has aerospace and other industrial interests, the city’s real superpower for the last century has been its “Mayberry by the Sea” appeal on Main Street.
Now imagine Main Street with a pristine beach and pier on one end and a multi-purpose event space on the other. Potentially, it’s a civic and economic gold mine ready to be mined and harvested for the common good.
I’m not sure whether city officials in Seal Beach monitor the pedestrian counts on Main Street, but perhaps they should consider doing so.
Like a living organism, maintaining pedestrian traffic is vital for merchants and business owners along the street so should not be left to chance alone.
It seems to me, like Dunlap, et al, did for the Bay Theatre, that the city should consider how it can prepare, and perhaps reimagine the Main Street ecosystem to remain an iconic place to connect with fellow humans in what will be an increasingly virtual future.
For sure, it’s not lost on city officials what a collection of jewels Main Street is for the city. What we should perhaps think about now is what it can, and will, become in the decades ahead.
David N. Young is the editor of the Event News-Enterprise (a sister newspaper of the Sun) and a past Sun editor.
